Good Intentions
by LadyLasa
Summary: Albedo has been released on parole. However, when a blow to the head causes the former Galvan to lose part of his memory, the team must find him before he remembers why he returned to Earth. Encounters Series Pt. 4 Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I apologize for the delay in getting this started and posted. Life has been crazy for me these past few months and writer's block didn't help at all. I finally managed to get motivated again, so here is the first chapter of Part Four of the Encounters Series. Since it takes place after the end of "The Enemy of My Enemy" I recommend reading the first three fics in the series if you haven't already. If you do not want to read them at this time, there is a recap of the first two at the beginning of "EoME". Please note that this series is not "War of the Worlds"/Season 3 compatible. Also, I'm resubmitting this chapter because I forgot to add the disclaimer when I posted it yesterday.  
**

**Summary: Ben and Karian have broken up. While their former teammate is working as a bounty hunter in Los Angeles, Ben Gwen and Kevin receive word that Albedo has been released on parole. However, when a blow to the head causes the former Galvan to lose part of his memory, the team must find him before he remembers why he has returned to Earth.**

**Rating: T Warnings: Violence, profanity, some adult situations**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10 Alien Force or any of the characters from that series. Karian and any other Zalyndrya characters, along with that world, are of my own creation.  
**

**Chapter One**

"Why is it that I always end up spending my Friday nights here?" Kevin asked as he leaned against the side of his car.

"I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want to spend a Friday night here," Ben countered with a smile. Extracting one of the cups from the cardboard tray, he handed it to the older teen. "Besides, it beats fighting aliens."

Kevin rolled his eyes as he pulled the lid off of the cup and sniffed the contents. His expression darkened even more as he caught sight of the black and violet motorcycle pulling into the lot and his fist clenched around the plastic container. He didn't seem to notice the liquid dripping from his hand until the rider stopped a few feet away from them. Taking a step forward, he dropped the crushed remains of his beverage, stopping only when he felt Gwen's hand on his arm.

The rider remained on his bike, dismounting only after he had removed his helmet. Vibrant green eyes regarded them, unblinking as he met Kevin's glare with equal venom. His expression softened as he turned his gaze towards Ben and he set the helmet on the back of the motorcycle as his lips curled into a hint of a grin.

"Karian?" Ben asked, surprise written clearly on his face. "It's been months…"

"I know," the vampire replied. "They've been keeping me busy in Los Angeles." He paused as he glanced over at the other two before his attention returned to Ben. "May I have a word with you in private?"

"Don't do it, Ben," Kevin warned.

"You would do well to mind your business," Karian advised, his eyes narrowing.

"How 'bout you make me?"

"As much as I'd enjoy that, I don't have time to play with you tonight." With a dismissive gesture, once again, his gaze returned to Ben. "Just for a moment, please. I won't keep you long."

Ben hesitated, glancing between Kevin's scowl, Gwen's concern, and Karian's imploring expression. Indecision gnawed at him for another moment before he slowly nodded and stepped forward. He could hear Kevin swearing as he followed their former teammate a short distance away. Once they were out of earshot, he folded his arms over his chest, his lips turning in a frown.

"You could have called," he stated.

"I wanted to see you," Karian replied with a shrug.

"No, I mean before now. I've heard from you once, maybe twice, since school started. It's December and now you just show up here like nothing ever happened?"

"I told you, I've been busy." He winced, realizing his tone was harsher than he had intended. "I'm sorry, Ben. I will make it up to you." He watched the teenager look down for a moment before he spoke again. "My sister is planning a celebration next week for the coming of the new year. I would like it if you could attend."

"Are Gwen and Kevin invited too?"

"I suppose," he conceded. "Is that a yes?"

"Let me think about it," Ben replied. "How long are you going to be in town?"

"Just for a few hours. I have a meeting with Max and then I will be returning to Los Angeles." He paused for a moment, considering how to phrase his next statement. "I am taking a leave of absence from the Plumbers."

"What?" Confusion and surprise washed over Ben's features as he took in the news. "Why?"

"I have other business that I need to handle right now," he explained. "For every criminal I catch and turn over to the police, two more take his place. There are enough Plumbers between your team and the ones Max is training. You can handle things just fine without me right now."

"That also means you're going to come to Bellwood even less that you already are."

"You know, my number hasn't changed either, Ben," he pointed out. "You could visit me in Los Angeles any time you wish. I never told you otherwise."

"Yeah, as long as my parents say I can and as long as I can bring Gwen and Kevin with me," Ben countered. "It's not that easy and you know it. There's something you're not telling me here. What's the real reason you haven't been around?"

"You always could see right through me." A humorless laugh accompanied the rueful smile that passed across his lips. "Believe me when I say that you don't want to know."

"If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have asked."

"Fine," he said as his expression grew serious. "There was an incident a couple of months ago. My assignment turned violent and it didn't end well." Watching the emotions wash over the teenager's face, he continued. "I had little choice in the matter."

"There's always a choice," he retorted.

"The man I was tracking was a killer and a rapist," he explained, holding his temper in check. "I had him cornered and he shot me. If I were still human, I wouldn't have been able to get back up and I'd be in the ground right now. Do you have any idea how much effort it takes to force a bullet out and then heal the wound? I did what I had to do."

"So you killed him," Ben stated. "Just like that."

"He used deadly force." A defensive edge worked its way into his voice. "I was authorized to do the same. Would you rather I had shot him? He would still be just as dead either way." He shook his head and glanced up at the sky. "I have to go. I suppose I will give my sister your regrets."

"Karian, wait..." Ben watched as he walked past and reached out to stop him. Before his hand had brushed against the vampire's arm, Karian spun to face him again.

"Why?" he demanded. "So that you can condemn me for doing my job? Thank you, but I'll pass."

"Look, I'm trying, alright?" He hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "You know how I feel about killing and I know that sometimes you have to. It doesn't make it any easier to swallow, though."

"Which is precisely why we decided to remain friends and nothing more," Karian reminded with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Listen, if you want to discuss this more, then call me later. I'm going to be late for this meeting if I don't leave now."

"Fine. I'll see you around, I guess."

"Perhaps."

Karian turned and headed back to his bike as Ben followed a short distance behind. Gwen and Kevin watched them approach, reading their expressions in an attempt to guess what their conversation entailed. From what they could tell, it didn't seem like anything positive had come out of the meeting. Kevin met the vampire's glare with a smirk as he leaned against his car, his arms folded over his chest.

"Still ain't taking you back, huh?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Piss off, Kevin," Karian snapped as he climbed onto the motorcycle.

The parting shot stole some of his mirth and Kevin straightened, his hands clenching into fists. Gwen's hand on his arm caused him to glance over at her and he watched her shake her head slowly. He looked back at Karian as he heard the engine of the motorcycle come to life, but he remained in place as the vampire rode off. Finally, his attention turned to Ben and he leaned back against the car once more.

"So, what did he want?" he asked.

"He's taking a break from the Plumbers," Ben replied.

"He's quitting?" Gwen asked, surprised. "I thought this was what he wanted."

"Well, I guess he thinks his job in L.A. needs him more than we do," he said with a sigh. "Besides, he's not exactly quitting. He said he's taking a leave of absence, so I think he'll be back eventually."

"Good riddance," Kevin said. "We didn't need him before and we sure as hell don't need him now." At the look he received from both cousins, he shrugged. "All I'm sayin' is that we did just fine before he came along. Let him go run around L.A. and be someone else's problem for a while."

"Was that all he had to say?" Gwen asked.

"Pretty much," her cousin told her. "He said his sister is having a New Year's party that we're invited to, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to go."

"So, he came here to tell you he's taking a break and to invite us to a party?" She arched a brow, obviously finding a flaw in the story. "No explanation for where he's been all this time or why he hasn't even called you?"

"Not one that I want to talk about."

"He did it again, didn't he?" Kevin asked, scowling. "Killed someone else, right?"

"Yeah," Ben confirmed. "He said it was self-defense, though."

"Because I'm sure it was a fair fight." Sarcasm dripped from the older teen's voice as he snorted in derision. "I don't get why you're still wasting your time on him. He ain't like us."

"Neither were you when you first joined the team," he countered. He turned his head towards the direction the bike had gone before turning towards the store. "I need another smoothie."

Gwen watched him walk away, concern and annoyance warring for domination of her emotions. Things had almost returned to normal during the first few months of the school year. None of them had expected their summer road trip to turn out the way it had, but it was something they all had to deal with. It had put a strain on all of them and they each had their own way of recovering.

Kevin, of course, had his attitude. He had suffered through several days in a hospital, reverting back to his monstrous form of years past, but they had saved him. The incident strengthened his distrust of the visitors from Zalyndrya, but he managed to tolerate Karian when he was part of the team. It was understandable that he was neither surprised, nor disappointed, when things went downhill in Amity Park. He knew it had been only a matter of time before someone died.

The events of the summer had taken more of a toll on Ben and left him with more confusion than he had before the road trip had even started. He had felt something with the vampire and he wanted to believe that it had been real, but his preconceived notions were shattered by the reality of the deaths that had occurred. His moral code had been put to the test then, and yet he was still forced to face the same questions. Was it justifiable for a murderer to be killed? Who could really make that decision?

He had believed that justice would be served as long as certain rules weren't broken. Sure, he had bent them on occasion and he knew that Kevin had strayed closer to the line between right and wrong, but none of them had ever gone so far over it. He couldn't deceive himself into thinking that sometimes the world would be a better place if someone decided to take out the ones that wanted nothing more than to hurt others. However, he knew he wasn't the one to make that kind of decision.

Darkstar had hurt a lot of people. He preyed on high school girls just to make himself stronger. He even seemed to enjoy it. When he teamed up with Abigalia and Vlad in Amity Park, the three of them had continued to hurt people just to get revenge on the ones they believed responsible for the wrongs committed against them. Now, Vlad was in the Null Void, but Abigalia and Darkstar were dead.

Was the world a better place without them? Ben couldn't answer that. He glanced down at the Omnitrix and wondered, not for the first time, if he was really the right person to wear it. It gave him the chance to "walk a mile in the shoes" of different species, but there were some people whose shoes would never fit. His mind replayed the recent conversation with his ex-boyfriend.

He knew that Karian had a dangerous job and he could have sworn that he had caught a glimpse of a gun holstered beneath his jacket. If he had been shot, were his actions really something worth condemnation? Then again, Kevin had pointed out that it probably wasn't a fair fight to begin with. Karian had one heck of an advantage over the people he hunted. While he said that the one he killed had raped an murdered others, was it Karian's place to kill him?

Once again, Ben found himself without an answer. He couldn't put himself in that position no matter how hard he tried to wrap his mind around it. His hand lifted to touch the scars on the side of his neck as a reminder of what exactly his friend was. _He's not human,_ he told himself. _Is it really fair to hold him to the same standards?_ He lowered his hand enough to take his smoothie from the counter and turned around to see his cousin approaching.

Gwen seemed to be handling things better than any of them. She hadn't expressed an opinion one way or the other, but Ben knew where she stood. She didn't approve of what happened in Amity Park, but it was beyond her control. Karian had stood trial both in Zalyndrya and his actions had been reviewed by the Plumbers. The decision was made and that was that.

She had kept them focused on the here and now. While she occasionally prodded Kevin to go back to school or at least get his G.E.D., she also helped Ben focus on his academic responsibilities as well as their obligation to the Plumbers. He would joke about her being pushy sometimes, but he appreciated her efforts more than she would ever know.

"Long line?" she asked with a smile, although he could read the worry in her eyes.

"Something like that," he replied. "Kevin wants to leave, doesn't he?"

"He can wait," she laughed before her tone turned serious. "Ben, are you alright?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I don't think I want to talk about it right now, though. Come on, Kevin's waiting for us."

"I'm having him drop me off at your house," she told him. "And don't try to argue with me about this. You need someone to talk to."

"Are you guys comin' or what?" Kevin called from across the lot.

"Be right there," Ben yelled back before looking at her again. "Thanks, Gwen."

"I'm your cousin," she said with a smile. "It's what I'm here for."

*****

"Parole hearing number 207895 is now in session." The declaration was accompanied by the sound of a gavel slamming down. "State your name."

"Albedo," the prisoner replied.

"Albedo of the Galvan," the judge read from the file in front of him. "You were sentenced to three years in a Null Void prison for crimes including theft, impersonating a Plumber, and assault. This sentence was reduced from ten years for an attempted murder charge due to a plea deal. You provided information that led to the capture of a fugitive. You have served one year and eight months so far. Do you dispute any of this information?"

"I do not."

"You understand that if you are granted parole, any violation will result in the previous charge being reinstated?"

"I understand."

Crimson eyes narrowed as his impatience grew, but he forced his voice to remain carefully neutral. Any sign of his true thoughts would send him right back into the prison cell. The judge read from the file again, listing the notations made by the warden. Aside from nearly constant demands for chili fries, Albedo had been the model prisoner. Thankfully, his numerous insults towards the guards had been omitted from the report.

"What do you plan to do if you are released?" the official asked.

"I would like to seek a cure for my condition," Albedo stated bitterly. "Once I find it, I will return to my planet."

"The terms of your parole are as follows," the judge began. "You are to be released from the Null Void and will report to the Plumber assigned to your case no less than one day out of every week for the next year and a half. You are to have absolutely no contact with Ben Tennyson, Gwen Tennyson, or Kevin Levin. You are not permitted to purchase, create, or carry any weapon during your time on parole. I have already explained the consequences should you fail to adhere to these terms. Do you have any questions?"

"I do not."

"Release the prisoner."

Albedo hid a smirk as the guard disengaged the energy cuffs that had bound his hands behind his back. His mind was already constructing a plan of action. Within the next twenty-four hours, he would be on his way to Earth and one way or another, he would be free of the form he had been forced to endure. All he had to do was retrieve the Omnitrix.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I managed to get this chapter finished faster than I'd expected, so here it is. As always, I still don't own Ben 10: Alien Force. **

**Chapter Two**

Ben placed his phone on the small table beside his bed as he digested the information he had just received. He took a moment to calculate just how much time had actually passed, surprised that the news would come so soon. His brow was still furrowed in thought when Gwen stepped into the room and he didn't look up until she had claimed the chair at his desk.

"Grandpa Max just called," he explained. "He wanted to give us a heads up that Albedo is out on parole."

"Should we be concerned?" she asked, frowning.

"I don't know yet," he said with a shrug. "Grandpa said that he was ordered to stay away from us, but we don't know how well he's going to listen. They just let him out about an hour ago and they're watching him pretty close. Still, I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Well if he's on parole and he hasn't done anything wrong yet, then we can't exactly go after him," she pointed out.

"I know, but-"

"No buts," she interrupted. "You have enough on your mind right now without worrying about Albedo. If he starts heading our way, we'll know long before he gets here and we'll be ready for him." Gwen paused for a moment as she looked him over before the familiar determination settled on her features. "Alright, talk."

"It's complicated," he began.

"Which is exactly why I'm here. Let's see if we can make it a little less complicated at least."

"I guess I'm just not sure if I'm doing the right thing," he said with a sigh. "I mean, I thought I was over it and then he just shows up out of nowhere and I get to thinking about what Lothan said. He told me I was being to hard on him and I'm starting to wonder if he was right."

"Ben, you haven't even tried to ask anyone out since school started. I don't think you even started to get over what happened between you and Karian. Maybe you just need a little more time."

"He didn't mention there being anyone new in his life." Ben looked down for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "Was I being fair to him?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "You knew what he was from the beginning, but I don't think it really dawned on you what that meant until it was too late. Maybe you can't hold him to the same standards that you'd hold someone who was human or well..." She struggled to find a delicate way to put her thoughts, but shook her head slightly. "Or someone that wouldn't consider humans as their primary food source."

"The safest bet is to keep my distance," he stated, although his voice lacked conviction.

"Maybe you should tell me what he said to you," she suggested. "The only thing I know right now is that he killed someone else, but for all we know, he could have had no choice."

"He said that the guy he was chasing shot him. He told me that he had to take him out to heal himself and that he was allowed to kill someone if they tried to kill him."

"And did you believe him?"

"Well, I don't think he was lying about it. He seemed pretty upset when he saw I wasn't happy about it. He made a comment about me 'condemning him for doing his job.'"

"He's a bounty hunter, right?" When she saw him nod, she spoke again. "So, he's out there catching criminals and turning them into the police. And he's getting paid for this, right?" She waited for another nod and offered a small smile. "Which means he doesn't get paid if he doesn't bring them in alive. They can't go to trial if they're already dead."

"Where are you going with this?"

"What I'm trying to get through that thick skull of yours is that I don't think he would have killed someone unless he absolutely had to. It wouldn't make sense." She gave him a moment to process the thought before she spoke again. "Ben, I understand how you feel about that kind of thing, and believe me, I agree with you, but I think this time he had a good reason to do what he did."

"Maybe I was too hard on him," he admitted. "Should I give him another chance?"

"That's entirely up to you. I'm not saying that you should forget what happened before and I'm not saying that I'd eventually want him as a brother-in-law or anything, but I think that you might be able to keep him on the right track." She rose from the chair and sat beside him on the bed. "Do what makes you happy, just keep your eyes open."

"Maybe we should go ahead and go to that party then," he said slowly. "If you want to, that is."

"Do you want to?"

"Yeah." He reached for his phone and she saw him smile for the first time since they had left Mr. Smoothie. "I'll leave him a voicemail. He's probably on his way back to L.A. by now. Do you think Kevin would drive us?"

"I'll talk to him tomorrow," she promised.

*****

"Transmission interception in progress."

Albedo grinned as he heard the announcement. It had been relatively easy for him to secure a transport and he was two days away from solving his problems once and for all. He pressed a few buttons on the console and was able to pick out two distinctly different voices, but the background noise made it nearly impossible to determine what they were saying. A few quick keystrokes removed the offending sounds and he leaned back to listen to the conversation.

"I had it wired into the helmet. It's the only reason I wear the twice-damned thing."

Albedo didn't recognize the voice, but he detected mixed emotions in the tone. A small amount of humor colored the words, but the former Galvan was able to pick out the irritation beneath the facade.

"You're not indestructible. We both know that."

That voice he knew and it caused his eyes to narrow as he leaned forward. It was the same voice that he had been cursed with; along with the prison that was worse than anything he had endured in the Null Void.

"I know my limitations, Ben," the unfamiliar voice snapped. "So if this call is to lecture me on motorcycle safety, then perhaps it's a conversation best held at another time."

"That's not why I called you," Ben said defensively. "I was going to tell you to let your sister know that I'm going to try to make it out there next week. Gwen's going to try to talk Kevin into driving us to L.A."

"I'm sure he'll just jump at that chance."

"You don't have to be sarcastic about it."

"You're right." There was a brief pause, followed by a muttered curse. "My apologies. I find it simply amazing that I've been here less than a year and those who are native to this world drive worse than I do. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"I'll call you tomorrow night, then."

"And I will see you next week."

The connection was severed abruptly and Albedo leaned back in the chair. His mind was already working on finding the best way to use the new information to his advantage. If Ben was somewhere outside of Bellwood, then it was likely that there would be a delay in calling in other Plumbers for assistance. If they were able to detect his arrival, they would expect him to find his so-called twin in that town, not in another one.

"Computer, run an analysis on the letters L.A. and cross-reference the data in relation to Bellwood," he commanded.

"Analysis complete," the machine announced. "Most relevant entry: L.A. - an abbreviation for the city Los Angeles, approximately 200 miles in proximity to Bellwood."

"Alter our course to that destination."

"Course altered. Estimated arrival in one day, three hours, and fifty-three minutes."

*****

"Not a chance," Kevin said evenly before sliding back under his car. "I ain't driving all the way to L.A. just to play nice with the goddamn bloodsucker and his family."

"Fine then," Gwen replied. "You don't have to stay there."

"Like I'd leave you and Ben alone with him..."

"We're going, Kevin," she stated, folding her arms over her chest.

"Then have fun with that. Don't come cryin' to me when Ben comes back a few pints short again."

"Well, the chances of that happening would be significantly lower if you were there to keep an eye on him," she pointed out.

"I ain't his babysitter," he retorted. "Besides, if he's not smart enough to think with his brain instead of his-"

His words were cut off by the alert from the Plumber's badge sitting on the table against the wall. Gwen rolled her eyes and crossed the room to lift the small, circular device and pressed a button on the side to establish the connection.

"Gwen, Kevin," Max's greeted. "We've detected a small ship heading for Earth. We had planned to intercept it, but it disappeared off of our radar. Be on the alert for any trouble."

"Were you able to tell who was in it?" Gwen asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Stay close to town until further notice. I'll let you know as soon as we have more information."

"Will do. Thanks Grandpa." Pressing the button to end the transmission, she turned to Kevin again. "Are you almost done with that?"

"Just about," he told her. A few minutes passed before he slid out from under the car again. "You need to go somewhere?"

"We need to talk to Ben," she said. "Looks like you're going to get your way. We can't go to Los Angeles after all."

"I wasn't gonna go anyway."

*****

"Estimated arrival two hours, thirteen minutes."

"Have we been detected again?"

"Negative. No further detection to report."

"Scan for a suitable landing space."

"Scan in progress."

Albedo nodded as he thought ahead to what he would have to do when his ship landed. His first priority was to secure something remotely edible. The protein sticks they had fed him in prison had sustained him, but were nowhere near satisfying. He shuddered at the thought of what his body was craving, but if he was going to be able to think clearly, he would have to submit to the repulsive demands of his stomach.

He had been unable to intercept any more transmissions between his nemesis and the unknown male, but he found it easy to assume that the stranger was in or near his destination. If he could determine his identity, then he might be able to use it to his advantage. He had no desire to fight fairly against Ben Tennyson, but if he had a bartering chip, then perhaps the human would be foolish enough to hand over the Omnitrix in exchange for his friend's life.

If that failed, however, he had other ways of obtaining the device.

*****

"It's too much of a coincidence," Ben stated as he toyed with the straw of his cup. "Albedo was released on parole and then the very next day the Plumbers see a ship heading our way. It's got to be him."

"And if that's the case, then our best bet is to stay here and be ready for him," Gwen reminded him.

"I know," he sighed as he withdrew his cell phone.

"Don't call him," Kevin said. "He doesn't need to know about this."

"He's right, Ben," Gwen agreed. "If he's on a leave of absence, then he's not authorized to know about Plumber business until he's back full-time."

"But what if Albedo heads for L.A.?" Ben argued. "Don't you think that we should at least warn him just in case?"

"And why the hell would Albedo head for L.A.?" Kevin countered.

"I don't know," Ben replied. "Maybe someone tipped him off?"

"I don't think he has connections like that," Gwen assured him.

"It ain't like he's me," Kevin said with a smirk.

"Fine," Ben conceded. "I'm at least going to send him a text to let him know we won't be able to make it to his sister's New Year's party. He's probably still asleep anyway."

"Well, yeah, the sun's still up," Kevin said dryly. "C'mon. We better step up our patrols in case your evil twin decides to show up."

*****

It was well into the night by the time Albedo had made the trek from the landing site into the city. He managed to purchase an order of the foul chili fries before the shop had closed, but he knew he would need to find a place to rest for the night. He silently cursed himself for forgetting to bring a map of the city from the ship, but it was too late to return and rectify that problem.

Half a dozen times, he had turned a corner to find himself in a blind alley. The constant backtracking was becoming tiring and his patience was rapidly deteriorating. Dropping the empty paper tray into a trash bin, he turned to the left once again, hoping that perhaps this time he would be able to find his way to a different avenue.

"Hey, kid," a voice said from behind him once he had gone twenty paces into the alley. "Spare some change?"

Albedo ignored the beggar, his eyes straining against the shadows to see if the other end of the path turned or stopped at a dead-end. He tensed as he heard footsteps shuffling behind him, his hands clenching into fists as he slowly turned to face his pursuer. Before he could complete the motion, a hand grabbed him roughly by the collar of his jacket.

"Hey kid," the stranger said, his words colored with malice. "I asked you a question."

"Remove your filthy hands," Albedo spat as he struggled to break free.

His wish was granted, although not in the manner he would have preferred. He found himself shoved to the ground, only to be lifted once more and slammed into the bricks wall of one of the buildings. His attacker continued the assault and Albedo's vision began to blur. He wasn't given the chance to regain his senses and he realized that was the stranger's intent. Something heavy collided with the back of his head and he went down once more, his consciousness lost before he even hit the ground.

The mugger paused for a moment as he watched the form collapse. He took a step forward and nudged him with the toe of his boot. When he received no response, he shrugged and lifted the metal pipe for one final blow. The weapon was raised half-way when he felt the end of a pistol pressed against the back of his head.

"Drop it."

The command had been spoken in a harsh growl and it caused a chill to course up his spine. He stood frozen for a moment, unsure whether to comply or to fight, but the next words spoken made the decision much easier.

"Either drop it or city will have to clean the fragments of your skull out of this alley."

The pipe fell to the ground as the man lifted his hands, careful to make no sudden moves. His wrists were bound quickly, leaving him to wonder if his captor even had a chance to put away the gun. Before he could ponder it, he was forced down to his knees.

"Stay down."

The sight of the gun grasped by a pale hand as the unexpected arrived walked past gave him an incentive to obey. He watched the white-haired figure drop to a crouch beside his intended victim before a cell phone was flipped open in the free hand.

"Cass, it's me. Tell your husband I have another one for him, but I need your help."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I was planning to wait another day to upload this, but I figured I might as well get it posted. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Three**

Pain was the first sensation that returned to him. He clenched his teeth, fighting through the nausea that followed. When his hands balled up into fists, he realized something was wrong. He counted again, hoping that the initial observation was a result of whatever injuries he had sustained, but the answer was the same. Each hand seemed to have five fingers instead of four.

He was lying on something soft, although he couldn't remember where he had been before he lost consciousness. There were voices nearby, but distant enough that he had to strain to pick up the conversation. The effort had its costs. Pain and nausea coursed through him again, but he did his best to ignore them, focusing instead on obtaining any information on his current location.

"There is a strong resemblance." The speaker was definitely female and while the other voice belonged to a male, they both carried the same accent.

"Resemblance? They're nearly identical."

"Have you called him yet?"

"I sent him a message requesting that he call me. It's four in the morning, which means it's likely that he's sleeping."

"I think he would want to know about something like this. They have to be related."

"He never mentioned any siblings." There was a brief pause before the male spoke again. "Besides, judging from the last message he sent me, he has other things to keep him occupied."

"Perhaps he needs more time."

"I've given him time. I'm not going to waste eternity waiting for him to make up his mind."

He tuned them out, realizing that their discussion would be of no use to him. Opening his eyes, he discovered that they were covered by a cloth of some kind. Panic took hold of him for a moment before he noticed that his arms were not bound. He took a deep breath and slowly raised his hands to move the cloth. The strands of hair that brushed against his fingertips confused him until he learned that they seemed to be attached to his head.

As he quickly removed the cloth, he received his first look at his hands and screamed. A hand was suddenly clamped over his mouth as a second one pressed against his shoulder to hold him down. Tearing his gaze from the disturbing sight, he looked up at the face staring down at him disapprovingly.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't do that."

The man had seemed to appear out of nowhere, but had all the standard features of a human. His voice was the same as the one he had overheard moments before, but there was something else familiar about it. Memory failed him, however, and he was unable to place it. Letting the scream die in his throat, he managed a weak nod and watched the stranger respond in kind.

"What have you done to me?" he demanded when the hand had been removed from his mouth.

"Aside from saving your life?" the stranger asked, arching a white brow.

"And you felt the need to disfigure me in the process?"

"You were like that when I found you."

"You lie!" he spat.

"He speaks the truth." The female had entered the room and he noticed the resemblance between the two immediately. "I discovered a rather large injury to your head when I tended your wounds. Perhaps it has affected your memory. What is the last thing you can remember? Your name, perhaps?"

"Albedo," he replied begrudgingly.

"Well met, Albedo," she greeted with what he assumed to be a smile. "My name is Cassandra and you have met my brother, Karian. He was the one who found you. I healed the worst of your injuries, but you will need rest before you are fully recovered."

"I was unaware that humans had the technology to instantly heal others," he remarked suspiciously.

"Many do not," Karian told him, green eyes narrowing. "Would you be able to tell us how you came to be bleeding in that alley tonight?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Albedo stated. "I remember speaking with Azmuth regarding a project and then I retired for the night. After that, there is nothing."

"_You recognize the name,_" Cassandra observed, watching her brother's reaction.

"_I do_," he confirmed. "_It would seem that he has lost quite a bit of time. I doubt he even knows where he is right now._"

"Then enlighten me," Albedo stated.

"You understand our language," Cassandra said thoughtfully.

"Doubtful," Karian replied. "I suspect that he has a universal translator. My badge is equipped with that function as well." Returning his attention to his guest, he spoke again. "I suppose you don't remember traveling to Earth."

"What reason could I possibly have for traveling to such a backwater planet?" Albedo snapped. The pain behind his eyes was increasing and the discussion was causing fatigue to settle in.

"You tell me," he replied, folding his arms over his chest.

"Later," Cassandra interrupted. "He needs his rest for now." Lifting a small bottle from the nightstand, she uncorked it and held it out to her patient. "Here. Drink this."

"I will not," Albedo told her, managing defiance even in his weakened state.

"Then remain miserable and in pain," she said with a shrug, setting the vial back on the table. "Karian, a word with you please."

Albedo watched them depart and then closed his eyes. It made no sense. First, he had awoken as a human and if that wasn't bad enough, somehow he had managed to end up on Earth. There had to be a reason for his presence on this rock, but even attempting to remember caused his headache to worsen. When he realized he could take the pain no longer, he reached weakly for the bottle.

*****

"You seem conflicted," Cassandra said.

"Wouldn't you be?" Karian countered. Shaking his head, he dropped down beside her on the sofa. "I thought he was Ben when I smelled the blood. Even after I saw the different hair color, it took me a few moments to realize that it wasn't him. They're connected somehow though."

"That much should be obvious, but how?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "If he knows Azmuth, then perhaps we could find answers there, but I don't have the authorization to contact him."

"Then call Ben. I'm sure he won't mind you waking him up for something like this."

"No. I want to keep him as far away from our guest until I figure out what exactly is going on here."

"You are letting your emotions cloud your judgment. That's never a good idea, brother."

"Perhaps," he conceded. "That changes nothing, though. Albedo just drank your medicine. How long will it keep him unconscious?"

"It depends on if his body is resistant to any of the herbs that I used. It should keep him asleep until I can return this afternoon to check on him."

"Good. I'll secure the door after you leave. You know the code to gain access."

*****

Albedo wasn't sure how much time had passed when he awoke again. As the haze slowly began to wear off, he silently cursed that treacherous woman for drugging him. He sat up, realizing that the pain was nearly gone, and almost reevaluated his thoughts from moments before. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he glanced around, trying to gain some insight on his location.

The room was sparsely furnished; he noted only the bed and a small table beside it. A window was set into one wall, but it was covered with a metallic barrier. Frowning, he managed to stand and tested his balance before realizing his shirt had been removed. He grasped the folded garment from the nightstand and pulled it over his head as he crossed the room to the door.

His fingers curled around the doorknob and he was surprised to find that it turned easily. Stepping out into a short corridor, he glanced around at what he assumed to be windows covered with the same metal as the one in his room, although the area was illuminated by a dim light set into the wall. Curiosity urged him forward as the corridor opened into a larger room. It took him only a moment to discern that this was the main visiting area of the residence. Further inspection led him into the kitchen and he felt the first pangs of hunger stir within him.

He frowned when he opened the empty refrigerator, his brow furrowing in thought as he wondered what exactly his host did for food in this place. That line of thought led him to believe that perhaps it would be best if he didn't wait around to find out. Leaving the kitchen behind, he saw another steel barrier in front of what he guessed to be the exit.

Only one other door was present and that one was back in the corridor near the room where he had been resting. Deciding to leave that for now, he walked over to the exit, inspecting the metal for any sign of weakness. There was nothing to indicate a hidden panel and he slowly realized that there seemed to be no way to open it from the inside.

Swearing under his breath, he returned to the corridor and reached down to the doorknob of the one room he had yet to explore. To his dismay, it didn't turn. He stepped back, his gaze settling on the keypad set into the wall. After a moment of rummaging through his pockets, he found something suitable for prying off the faceplate and set to work.

Within the span of a few minutes, he had managed to rewire the device and the lock released with a soft click. He placed a hand against the door, watching it swing open on silent hinges before cautiously entering the room. He paused, letting his eyes adjust to the dark while he strained to hear any sound to indicate that it was occupied. Hearing nothing, he stepped further in, the dim light from the corridor granting enough illumination for him to get a better view of the interior.

To his surprise, he was able to make out a shape on the bed, but he quickly glanced around to ensure that no one else was present. He edged forward, every muscle tense as he looked at the items on the nightstand. A small, circular disc rested beside a pistol and a cell phone, the symbol causing him to pause once more. He recognized the insignia of the Plumbers, but something else pulled at his thoughts, almost demanding that he remember a more vital significance to the black and green emblem.

He pushed the puzzle to the back of his mind for the time being as he focused on more immediate needs. Glancing at the handgun, he realized he could probably use it as leverage to coerce his host into opening the doors. When he returned his gaze to the figure on the bed, however, he realized something was definitely not right. Albedo stared at him for a moment, trying to make sure that his suspicions weren't simply a trick of the light.

Closer inspection told him that his initial observation was correct. The pale chest of his rescuer did not rise and fall as it should. Albedo swallowed hard, wondering what he was supposed to do now. He was trapped and the one person who would have been able to release him was apparently dead. He had to be certain, though. Taking a deep breath, he slowly extended his left hand, hoping that he might be able to locate a pulse or anything that would indicate that the man was still alive.

He bit back a scream as his wrist caught in an unbreakable grip. Before he could even attempt to pull away, he found himself face-first on the bed, pinned down with his arm twisted painfully behind his back. The low growl above him caused a fresh wave of panic to wash over him and he struggled to break free. His efforts only caused his captor to exert more pressure and he was able to hear words spoken harshly, as if through clenched teeth.

"By all means, keep struggling. A broken arm does not take too long to heal, does it?"

He froze, his heart pounding in his chest as his mind raced to come up with a plan of escape. The pistol was still on the nightstand and he might just be able to reach it. His right hand inched towards the table, but another increase in pressure caused him to stop again. He tried to turn his head, hoping that if he could meet his gaze, he may be able to talk his way out of it. That plan failed as well when his hair was grabbed roughly and his head was forced back down onto the mattress.

"How did you get in here?" Karian demanded. He leaned down, his voice dangerously quiet as he spoke his next words into Albedo's ear. "The door was locked for a reason."

*****

Max was outside waiting when they arrived. He stepped away from the Rustbucket as the trio exited the car, his expression showing mixed emotions. After leading them into the RV, he waited for them to sit down before he spoke.

"We received a report that a small ship landed outside of Los Angeles," he began.

"Albedo," Ben stated. "I knew it."

"Now hang on a minute," Max stopped him. "We don't know for sure that it's him. He's due to check in with his parole officer tomorrow. For all we know, the ship could belong to a couple of tourists. We can't go in there with guns blazing without getting all the information first."

"Then why are we sittin' around here talking about it?" Kevin asked.

"Because we already have someone in the area," Max replied. "He's on leave, but he might be willing to look into this as a favor." Looking to Ben, he continued. "Sunset is in one hour. As soon as it starts getting dark, call Karian and ask him if he has time to check it out. I can send the coordinates to his badge."

"Grandpa," Gwen spoke up. "I know that it might be faster for him to look into it, but if he says no, then maybe we should head out there anyway. We can be almost halfway there by the time he wakes up and if it is Albedo, then we can start looking for him before he starts any trouble."

"Or he could be setting up a trap there for Ben," Max countered calmly. "If, and I do mean if, Albedo is out in Los Angeles, then he's technically not breaking the conditions of his parole. The terms stated that he couldn't go near Ben, not that he couldn't come to Earth at all. I can't think of any reason he'd be out there, though, so I doubt it's him."

"That's what I said," Kevin agreed. "If Albedo was going to start something with us, he'd set it up around here. He ain't got a reason to think we'd go to L.A. unless someone tipped him off about Tennyson's bloodsucking ex."

"What if he's going after Karian?" Ben argued.

"Then I guess Karian won't have to go far to find dinner tonight and Albedo won't be our problem anymore," Kevin replied.

"Look," Max interrupted. "Jumping to conclusions isn't going to solve anything. The best thing we can do is see if someone close by can get more information. If not, then we'll see about heading out there ourselves. Until then, keep up your patrols in and around Bellwood. We can't ignore our hometown just because of one little ship that could just be something benign."

Ben sighed, but nodded. He had to admit that Grandpa Max had a point. They had a responsibility to the people of Bellwood. He couldn't just take off for L.A. based on a hunch and leave his town to look after itself. With Max's recruits off on a training mission, they were the only Plumbers around. That didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

"Alright," Gwen said. "We'll stay close to town until we have more information on that ship. If we don't hear back about it, or if Albedo doesn't check in tomorrow, then I think we need to start looking around to see if he did come back to Earth. I don't think he'd be dumb enough to come after us directly after what happened last time, so he'd probably try to set a trap for us."

"There are a lot of places just outside of Bellwood for him to set up shop," Kevin added. "We'll hit them on our patrols to see if there's anything going on that shouldn't be."

"Sounds like a good plan," Max agreed. "Why don't you stick around for a little while. I'm about to cook up some octopus burgers."

"No thanks, Grandpa," Ben replied, standing quickly. "We better get started on those patrols."

"Maybe next time," Gwen told him with a smile.

Ben pulled out his cell phone as they walked down the stairs out of the RV. Flipping it open, he scrolled through the recent text messages, specifically the two that he had received early that morning while he was asleep. He couldn't place it, but something felt off about the messages. "Call me. It's urgent." was followed by "Disregard" with only ten minutes between them.

He had a sinking feeling that something was going on in Los Angeles that he should know about, but he couldn't deny the logic that his team had been throwing at him since they first learned of Albedo's parole. To his knowledge, the only connection Albedo had on Earth was Ben. No one could have given him a tip that someone he cared about was in L.A. It just wasn't a probable scenario.

No matter how many times he told himself that, he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right about the situation. It occurred to him that he might just be paranoid, but that didn't stop the sense of foreboding that was slowly starting to settle in. Shaking his head, he closed the phone and slid it back into his pocket before climbing into Kevin's car.

In one more hour, he could find out exactly what those messages were about. Even if he was calling to ask a favor, he had to know what was so important to cause his friend to contact him at four in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: First off, I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this finished. Without boring you with the details of my life, parenting and 50-60 hour work weeks are leaving me with little time to write. Add in the fact that I quit smoking six months ago and it's taken a while to get into a clear mindset again... well yeah. So, finally, here is Chapter Four. I'm going to try to get the next one out without another six-month delay. Thanks for being patient with me.**_

**Chapter Four**

Albedo knew he had very little time to offer an explanation. His mind was working double-time to come up with a solution that would improve his chances of survival. Given the speed in which he had been subdued, and the strength his captor had displayed, he could only deduce that the man was either genetically enhanced or was not human at all. He knew he could not fight his way out of this, so he would have to talk his way to freedom.

"You are trying my patience," Karian warned.

"I was only looking for an exit," Albedo told him, trying to keep his voice even.

"And you were expecting to find one in my quarters?"

"How was I to know that you would be in here?" he countered defensively.

"How did you gain access?"

"I used the keypad." The sharp pain in his shoulder as his arm was pulled back even further caused him to amend his statement. "I reprogrammed the keypad."

Albedo felt the weight holding him down lift as his arm was released. However, he was given little time to recover. Karian grabbed the back of his shirt, hauling him off of the bed as he dragged him towards the door. He managed to get his feet back under himself just as he was shoved roughly into the corridor. Stumbling, he caught his balance as he braced himself against the opposite wall. When no further attack came, he slowly turned around.

His host's anger was obvious. Karian remained in the doorway, his fists clenched at his sides as he glared at Albedo. His eyes did not blink, although Albedo was sure he saw them flicker with a brief glow before the man turned away.

"Wait in the living room. I will deal with you shortly."

The command was punctuated by the slam of the door and Albedo remained in place for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. It occurred to him as he reached up to rub his injured shoulder, that it was quite possible that he had just narrowly escaped death for a second time in as many days. Even so, his options were limited. He could either do as instructed or enter the room again to demand his freedom.

A third option came to mind as he turned and walked towards the living room. While he knew he was physically outmatched, he was also confident that his intelligence far outweighed that of his captor. He continued through the living room and into the kitchen, determined to force his way out of the apartment if necessary. All he needed was a convincing weapon.

He quickly started searching the drawers, surprised to find most of them empty. His brow furrowed in thought as he tried to come up with a secondary plan. A cursory glance across the counters provided him with his solution. A knife block was placed only a few feet away from the sink and he mentally berated himself for not noticing it before. He reached for the one in the back, a slight grin forming on his lips as the long blade slid free.

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice demanded from behind him.

Startled, Albedo spun around, his instincts teaming up with momentum to bring the knife into position. The blade met little resistance as it parted cloth and flesh to became embedded in his host's chest. Albedo tried to step back, but found his motions restricted by the counter behind him, and he stared at the man in shock, waiting for him to fall.

Karian's expression slowly shifted from pained surprise to anger as he reached up to grasp the makeshift weapon. He settled his gaze on Albedo as he slowly pulled the blade from his chest, his eyes narrowing as his free hand shot out to grab him by the throat. Bringing the knife into his prisoner's view, he slowly began to tighten his grip.

"Give me one reason why I should not end your life right now."

Despite his attempt to remain calm, Albedo felt panic taking hold of him. He had no explanation for how the man was even able to still stand, let alone subdue him once more. He risked a glance at where he had struck, trying to recall what he knew of human anatomy. The strike should have pierced a lung, at the very least. Instead, the gash – visible through the tear in his shirt – seemed not to impair the man's movements at all. A dark trickle of blood dripped from the wound, but the amount was far less than Albedo thought there should have been. It didn't seem possible.

With the man's grip tightening by the second, Albedo realized he had to say something, to give some kind of rationalization for his actions. For once, though, words failed him. As it became harder and harder to draw breath, dark spots began to cloud his vision. It took him a moment to realize the ringing that echoed in his ears was coming from a communication device nearby and he felt the hand around his neck loosen enough for him to take a much-needed breath. He watched the knife fall into the sink as it was replaced with a cell phone.

"This is not a good time, Ben." The words that had been spoken into the device came out as a growl and Albedo was silently thankful for the distraction as he glanced around frantically. His attention returned to Karian as he heard him speak again. "Send me the coordinates. I can not guarantee a time frame, but I will at least try to look into the matter tonight." There was another pause in the conversation, during which Albedo cringed when he realized the green eyes had met his own. "I'm fine. We will talk later."

Albedo watched him slide the phone back into his pocket and found himself under scrutiny again. To his surprise, the hand that had kept a firm grasp around his throat was withdrawn. He coughed, leaning back on the counter for support, while he waited to see what he would have to endure next. He glanced towards the doorway and noticed that the metal barrier in front of the door was starting to rise. As if sensing his intentions, the man spoke once more.

"If you have any sense of self-preservation – which, from what I have seen, you do not - then you will not make the slightest move towards the exit," he stated. "Do I make myself clear?"

Albedo offered a weak nod, his mind already calculating his chances of making it past the creature before him. He didn't like the conclusion he was reaching and turned his attention back to the nearly-visible door. Part of him wanted to run, or at least demand his freedom, but he also knew how that would turn out. However, a larger part of him was intrigued, despite the fear that still lingered, and he wanted to figure out just what it was that he was dealing with.

"Perhaps we are not so different after all," he mused, his voice little more than an introspective whisper.

"I wouldn't make assumptions if I were in your position."

"It was more of an observation." He almost regretted the retort when his host turned his attention away from the door and settled his gaze on him again. "You are obviously not human. Despite my current appearance, I am not human either. So we are both stuck in a form that doesn't show who we truly are." Albedo paused, almost losing his nerve before speaking the one question that had been plaguing him since the incident in the bedroom. "What are you?"

Laughter was the response he received. There was almost no mirth to it, though. The sound was chilling, both because of the tone, and the cold echo that it sent around the room. Beneath it, he noted anger, but he had a feeling that the emotion was due to what memories the question may have evoked, rather than the fact that he had voiced it.

"I will tell you this," Karian began when the reaction had passed. "The night that you discover the answer to that question will likely be your last." He shook his head slightly, laughing under his breath again. "I would think that someone in your position would be more concerned about his freedom than the condition of his host."

"Host?" Albedo remarked incredulously. "From what I have studied of this planet, hosts do not threaten their guests."

"Most guests don't deserve it." A hint of a smirk crossed his lips. "You should consider yourself fortunate. Almost anyone else would have been dead the moment he disturbed my rest. Keep that in mind. The sun has just set and I've already had to restrain myself twice. There will not be a third time."

* * *

Ben stared out the window from the back seat as they headed towards their third checkpoint of the evening. Despite what he had been told, he knew things were not alright out in Los Angeles. Something was going on, but it seemed that whatever it was, he wasn't going to learn of it by talking on the phone. Convincing Gwen and Kevin to drive out there, however, didn't seem like an option at the moment.

He replayed the conversation in his mind, trying to read between the lines as much as he could. His friend's tone when he had answered the call was enough to tell him that something bad had happened. _Then again_, he thought, _I might have just caught him when he was on assignment_. It was possible, but it didn't feel right.

"You're quiet," Gwen observed, turning in her seat to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"Yeah," Kevin agreed. "Usually we can't get you to shut up."

"I'm fine," he lied, echoing the same lie that had been told to him. From the expression on his cousin's face, he knew she wasn't buying it either. "I think Karian might be in some kind of trouble."

"There's a surprise," Kevin said dryly.

"He sounded really mad when I called him," Ben continued, ignoring the quip. "I mean 'ready-to-kill-someone' mad."

"He's not our problem right now," Kevin stated. "We have bigger things to worry about."

"I know you're worried," Gwen added. "But Kevin's right. We have to stay focused on Bellwood. If it helps, we have to check his house just outside of town while we're on patrol."

"I guess," he agreed halfheartedly. "Something just doesn't feel right about all of this. I can't place it, but I have this feeling that something's wrong with this whole thing."

"There are too many variables for us to have a clear picture of what's going on," she told him. "All we can do right now is keep up our patrols while we wait to hear from either Albedo's parole officer or Karian. As soon as we get information from one of them, we should be able to get a better handle on the situation."

Ben gave a reluctant nod of agreement. As much as he didn't want to admit it, she had a point. He turned to stare out the window, trying to figure out why the gnawing feeling of unease wasn't the least bit diminished by her words of reassurance. His focus quickly shifted away from his inner turmoil to the more pressing matter of the property coming into view.

"Why the hell are the lights on?" Kevin asked as he slowly headed up the service road. "You sure he's in L.A., Tennyson?"

"Positive," he confirmed. "Let's check it out."

As they neared the house, a single vehicle came into view. Kevin slowed further and turned off the headlights, his fingers tense on the steering wheel. Ben leaned forward, straining to see through the darkness.

"I think it's a safe bet that this ain't just a squatter," the older teen remarked. "Never knew any of 'em that'd drive a car like that." He motioned to the idle Cadillac as he parked beside it. "Probably got lost and was just looking for directions."

"Then where is he?" Gwen asked, glancing at the empty car.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Ben said quietly.

Gwen offered a nod of agreement as they exited Kevin's car and cautiously approached the house. A floorboard on the porch creaked loudly as they crossed it, causing them to pause and exchange a nervous glance. Ben reached for the doorknob, only slightly surprised when he found it to be unlocked. As he pushed the door open, his hand fell to the face of the Omnitrix.

"Be ready for anything," he advised.

They crept further into the building, listening for any sounds that would indicate occupancy. As they neared the end of the main hall, they heard two distinct voices, one of which was all too familiar. The trio paused, trying to pick up the conversation.

"So, you will do it?" Lothan asked.

"I still don't see why this is my problem when it hasn't even happened yet," a gravelly voice replied.

"Patience, my friend."

His next were were inaudible to the three teenagers and they took another cautious step forward. They reached the point where they could see the occupants of the main living room. Lothan and his associate had their backs to them, conversing in hushed tones while the former motioned to something on the table in front of them.

"Of course," Lothan continued, his tone slightly louder. "It would probably be best if we discussed this when we are not being overheard."

The moment the words left his mouth, the pair turned to face the Plumbers. Lothan's lips curled into a bemused smirk, while his associate quickly withdrew a pistol from within his suit jacket. The vampire placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head slightly.

"I'm sure these three weren't intending to eavesdrop," he said, arching a brow. "Isn't that correct, Ben?"

"What are you doing here?" Ben demanded, ignoring the weapon that the stranger was reluctantly lowering.

"I'd like to know the same thing for you," Lothan countered. "After all, is it not common for one to knock before entering a residence?"

"It would be if we didn't know that the current resident is in Los Angeles right now," Gwen told him. "This is one of the places we check on our patrols."

"You kids think you're some kind of cops?" the stranger asked with a chuckle.

"They are," Lothan replied. "Although, not the kind you need to worry about." His shoulders rolled in a shrug. "We will have to discuss is at another time. For now, I believe I should deal with this, more pressing, situation."

"I head back in the morning," the man told him. "You know how to reach me."

"Indeed." Lothan watched his associate leave and turned his attention to the trio once more. "You could have knocked."

"And if someone was robbing the place we would have let them know we're here," Kevin argued. "Who the hell was that?"

"An old friend," he replied. "No one you need to concern yourselves with. We had some business to discuss. Nothing more."

"Why do I not believe you?" Ben asked. "It's never that simple with you."

"I'm almost offended..."

"Except that you know it's true." Ben took another step forward. "We have enough to worry about right now."

"Ah, yes. Your doppleganger is out of prison."

"How did you know about that?" Gwen asked.

"I have my sources," he replied with a shrug.

"Lothan..." Ben pressed.

"Do not press your luck, Ben," he warned. "How I know things is not important. The fact that I do know should be a benefit to you; I can at least advise on the situation."

"Not buyin' it," Kevin remarked.

"I can't exactly say that I give a damn what you're buying," Lothan said evenly. "I have offered my assistance and you have the option of taking it or leaving it. The choice is yours."

"Guys," Gwen interjected. "We don't need any more confrontations right now. Let's hear what he has to say and go from there, alright?"

"You were always my favorite," he remarked, flashing a grin. "Always the sensible one." He watched her eyes narrow as Kevin tensed and chuckled to himself. "My advice is to not worry for now. If this creature possesses superior intelligence, then it is doubtful that he will mount a head-on assault. However, unless you are sure of his current location, searching for him would be pointless."

"So, pretty much, just do what we've been doing,"Ben concluded, frowning. "This isn't new advice, Lothan. Grandpa Max already told us the same thing."

"Then I suppose my input is unnecessary." His shoulders rolled in a shrug. "I trust you can find your way out."

"Wait," Gwen began. "You know something, don't you? What aren't you telling us?"

"Nothing that you haven't already figured out, even if you don't realize it."

"That doesn't make any sense," Kevin argued.

"It will when you need it to," Lothan assured him as he turned to glance down at the table again. After a moment, he returned his gaze to him. "Perhaps it would also be in your best interests to attend my daughter's gathering."

"Not happening," Kevin told him.

"Pity," he said. "I suppose you will just have to find what answers you can in Bellwood." He gestured to the door. "I would apologize for being a poor host, but considering the fact that you entered without invitation, I do not feel the least bit guilty about asking you to leave now. Safe travels."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Is this really necessary?" Albedo asked.

"You are not staying here alone and I am not going to risk you making another attempt to either escape or do something equally foolish."

Albedo decided it would be best to refrain from arguing the point further. His hands had been secured to either side of the motorcycle and a helmet was placed over his head. He watched his captor retrieve a similar helmet and begin checking various displays on the bike.

"Where are we going?"

"To check something for a friend of mine," Karian stated, setting his phone into place near the displays. "Do I need to explain what is expected of you?"

"I understand," he replied.

"Good."

"You don't act like a Plumber," Albedo observed as he watched him slide the Plumber's badge into a slot beside the phone.

"I'm on a Leave of Absence." Sliding his helmet on, Karian continued. "Besides, had I acted like a Plumber tonight, I would have simply arrested you for attempted murder and sent you off to the Null Void. I'm sure it would have been much less of a hassle for me in the long run."

"Then why did you choose not to?"

"I have my reasons."

The statement abruptly ended the discussion as they prepared to depart. Albedo turned the words over in his mind, partially to divert his attention to the thought of what might happen if the motorcycle were to crash, and partially because they brought a trace of memory back into his consciousness.

He remembered a cell with only a tiny window near the top of one wall. Through the window, he could see the hazy, violet sky of what he believed must be the Null Void. Something was shoved through the narrow slot on the door and clattered against the stones – a bright green protein stick. It provided the necessary nutrition, but lacked anything resembling flavor.

"Chili fries," he muttered to himself, the reminder causing his stomach to protest loudly. He tried to hold on to the memory, hoping to force others to resurface, but to no avail. While it was a welcome change, the recollection only raised more questions. He was able to conclude that he had been a prisoner at one time. How long ago that might have been and the circumstances surrounding the incident still remained shrouded in mystery.

Swearing under his breath, he tested the bindings on his wrists, the sturdy plastic ties digging into his skin. When he realized that would be of no use, he turned his attention to the scenery that was going by far too fast for his liking. He was unable to distinguish any recognizable landmark, but he felt his apprehension grow as they seemed to be moving out of the city.

Despite the explanation that they were checking on something, Albedo couldn't dismiss the idea that the man was taking him to some remote location to dispose of his body. Forcing down the panic, he told himself to be rational. There had been ample opportunity to eliminate him, so there seemed little sense in waiting until they were out of the city to do so. The cryptic explanations he had received had done little to reassure him, though. So far, Karian had only offered one solid answer, and that was to provide his name prior to their departure from the apartment.

They had only traveled for what he had estimated as about five minutes before turning onto a trail into a lightly wooded area. The path was vaguely familiar, but he could not recall ever passing this way. That fact was hardly surprising, though, as he couldn't even remember traveling to this planet. Thankfully, Karian had slowed to a reasonable speed to accommodate the rough terrain.

Albedo still silently questioned the wisdom of riding the motorcycle through the woods. He knew that he had little choice in the matter, so he kept his protests to himself. Soon enough, they reached their destination and Karian brought the bike to a stop.

"What are you supposed to be checking on?" Albedo asked as he watched him retrieve the phone and badge from the console. "It would seem that there are only trees in this area."

Karian did not answer. Instead, he carefully dismounted the bike and headed towards a thick patch of foliage, leaving Albedo secured to the vehicle. After examining the branches, he pushed them aside to reveal a curved piece of metal. He cast a glance at his captive, considering the possible connection, before removing the rest of the growth that had hidden what was definitely a ship.

There were no discernible markings on the exterior that would indicate to whom the vessel belonged. Judging from the lack of damage, he assumed that it had been purposely landed in its current location. He placed his badge against the door and waited for it to flash before proceeding.

"Authorization code Kappa, Alpha, Beta, zero, five, eight, one," he stated.

"**Access granted**."

He tensed as the door slid open, one hand resting on his pistol, prepared for anything that might be waiting inside. He strained his senses, attempting to detect any presence, but found the ship to be unoccupied. Cautiously, he stepped through the doorway and examined the interior.

The ship was designed to accommodate a single traveler, and there was little room for anything except the seat and the control panel. Beside the chair, he saw a small tablet and lifted the item to examine it. At his touch, the screen lit up and he quickly took in the information displayed. A few taps of his finger brought up more files and his brow furrowed in thought as he tried to piece together what he was reading.

Keeping his attention on the screen, he dropped his free hand to withdraw his cell phone. He started to press one of the speed-dial keys, but stopped and entered another number instead. Lifting the device to his ear, he waited for a moment for the call to connect.

"Cass, it's me," he greeted. "We will be stopping by shortly. Is your husband at home?" He paused for her to respond and nodded to himself. "Perfect. I have business to discuss with him. I will see you soon."

As he disconnected the call, he looked at his phone for a moment, debating on whether or not to make the next call. He almost slid it back into his pocket before taking a deep, although unnecessary, breath and pressing the speed-dial.

"Ben," he began. "I am at the location now. There is a ship here, but no markings or paperwork to determine ownership." He paused, listening to the questions before responding. "I'm not entirely certain, but at this time, I cannot divert any more of my attention to this matter. My apologies, but you will have to figure the rest out on your own."

Once again, he ended the call, and this time he put the phone away. Reviewing the information he had found, he shook his head slightly. The small device fit neatly into the inner pocket of his jacket and he turned to exit the vessel. As he stood in the doorway, he watched Albedo and tried to figure out how he fit into all of it. There was no doubt that the Galvan had something to do with the ship and the contents within, but as long as he was hindered by amnesia, there was no way to make a definite conclusion.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Kevin asked as he drove away from the house.

"Karian found the ship, but doesn't know who it belongs to," Ben told him.

"Is he going to find out?" Gwen asked.

"No," he shook his head. "We're on our own now. He said he doesn't have time to deal with it." There was no mistaking the hint of resentment in his voice, but he tried to put it aside for the moment. He took a moment to think about the brief conversation and their recent encounter before speaking again. "We're going to have to go to L.A."

"No, we're not," Kevin said evenly.

"Just hear me out," he argued. "Lothan knows more than what he told us and he had to be giving us hints about what's going on. He knew that Albedo was here and he made it sound like it was important for us to make the trip out there. There has to be a reason for it."

"He has a point," Gwen agreed. "I know Grandpa Max told us to stay here, but there might be more going on out there than we know."

"For all we know he could have just been screwing with us," Kevin countered. "It's not like he hasn't done it before."

"Why can't you just consider, even for a moment, that there might be something to this?" Ben demanded, losing patience. "Every time it's come up, all you've done is argue about it."

"Because you're being stupid about it," the older teen retorted. "You're too busy worrying about your ex to even look at other options. Max gave us the order to stay here."

"Since when do you care about orders?"

"Ben-" Gwen interrupted.

"No, Gwen," he cut her off and addressed Kevin again. "For once in your life you're actually going to act like you care about orders because it's convenient for you. Any other time you'd be the first one to say 'to hell with it' and throw the orders out the window. Why should this time be any different?"

Kevin slammed on the brakes, causing the car to screech to a halt. His knuckles were white as he gripped the wheel.

"Get out," he said through clenched teeth.

"Kevin," Gwen began. "We're not going to leave him on the side of the road."

"He thinks he has all the answers," he replied. "He can go handle it himself. I ain't gonna sit here and argue with him because he's too dumb to think with his head."

"It's fine, Gwen," Ben told her. "I'll call you when I find Albedo."

"Ben, don't." The tone of her voice caused him to pause. "Both of you need to stop it right now. We're not going to get anywhere arguing and fighting with each other. If Albedo is on Earth, then we'll find him. He might be here, he might be in L.A., or he might be in the Bahamas getting a tan. I don't know. Right now, we need to focus on our job and keep Bellwood safe. We can go to L.A. for the New Year's party if you want, but until then, we should stay here. It's only a few more days, and by then, we should know for sure whether or not he's somewhere on Earth."

"Fair enough," Ben agreed, reluctantly. "But the first clue that points to L.A., I'm heading out there, even if I have to go it alone."

* * *

Albedo rubbed his wrists where the zip-ties had chafed his skin, glad to finally be free of the bindings. He looked up at the unfamiliar building, certain that it was different than the one they had left earlier in the night. His stomach growled again, offering an unpleasant reminder on how much time had passed since he had eaten.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"I have business with my sister's husband," Karian replied.

It was more of an answer than he expected and he followed into the building. His sneakers squeaked on the marble tiles, but he noticed that his escort's footsteps were eerily silent. The simple observation caused him to study the man a little more closely. The chandelier caused almost everything in the lobby to cast a shadow; everything except his escort. Albedo had a feeling that those details were somehow important, but he couldn't figure out why.

He added it to the various pieces of the puzzle that was taking shape in the back of his mind and focused instead on his surroundings. From what he could recall of Earth culture, he guessed that the materials used to build the structure were expensive, leading him to believe that anyone who would reside in such a place would have to pay a sizable fee for the privilege. A hand on his shoulder brought his attention back to Karian and he watched him look between the elevators and the door that was labeled as "Stairs".

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"Under normal circumstances, I would not use these things," Karian replied, gesturing to the elevators. "However, I doubt that you are in any shape to climb twenty-three sets of stairs, so I suppose I will have to make do."

They stepped into the elevator and, as soon as the doors closed, Albedo saw him tense. _Claustrophobic,_ he mused, finding a weakness finally. He knew that somehow he could use that to his advantage at some point, but, at the moment, it was just another piece of information. As soon as the doors opened, he was practically dragged out into the corridor.

After stumbling and catching his balance, he looked around to see where he would be taken next. There was one door in view and he reluctantly followed to it. Karian gave two quick knocks before the door opened and his sister greeted them.

"Is everything alright?" she asked as the entered.

"No," Karian replied. He guided Albedo to the dining room and pushed him into the chair. "Do not move and do not speak."

"Is that necessary?" Cassandra protested, disapproval clear in her tone. "After what he went through last night, one would think you would be a little more gentle with him."

"He is not as helpless as you would like to believe," he stated. Turning to face her, he pulled down the collar of his t-shirt to reveal the thin, red line of the stab wound. Although it was nearly healed, the mark was still clearly visible against his pale skin. "I will take no more chances with him."

"I see."

"Where is your husband?"

"He will be out momentarily," she told him before nodding towards Albedo. "Have you given him anything to eat yet?"

"Not yet. There has been little time for it this evening."

Albedo listened to the exchange, trying to figure out what they intended to do with him now. He was certain that they had a reason for keeping him alive, but he was still trying to determine what it was. Their conversation was less than helpful, though. They had dropped their voices to keep their discussion private and he was unable to hear what they were talking about.

When the man he assumed to be the woman's husband entered the room, Albedo quickly looked towards the door. With his captor distracted, he might be able to make a break for it. He dismissed the idea almost immediately, though. Karian had already proven that he was more than what he appeared to be and Albedo had no way of knowing if the other two were simply masquerading as humans as well. He watched Karian leave the room with the other man and returned his gaze to Cassandra.

"It was self-defense," he stated. He realized she wasn't entirely sure what he was referring to, so he nodded towards the doorway through which the two men had disappeared. "When I stabbed him earlier," he elaborated. "I did not hear him come up behind me and he startled me. I reacted on instinct to defend myself."

"Of course." Her tone was carefully neutral and he had a difficult time determining whether or not she believed him.

"Are you human?"

"Excuse me?" The question had caught her off guard and her full attention was on him again.

"I do not believe that your brother is human," he began. "However, there are subtle differences between the two of you. I was wondering if there was some way that you might be human even if he is not?"

"I do not think that is something you should be worrying about right now."

"It was only a matter of curiosity," he said defensively.

"Yes," she replied. "I am human."

"If you are human than how-"

"How is it that my brother is not?" she finished for him, a hint of a smile lighting up her features. "That is his tale to tell, not mine. If he intended for you to know, then he would have explained it."

He pondered the explanation for a few minutes as silence stretched between them. Glancing past her, he watched the others return to the room, their expressions giving no clue as to what may be in store for him. They seemed to be concluding their business, which meant that he was likely to be carted off to another location.

"If I leave now, I can be there and back before sunrise," Karian told the man. "Can you have the warrant in order by the time I get there?"

"I'll do the best I can," was the reply. "Local PD will be on standby until you get close to town. Call me and I'll have them meet you." The man handed him a set of keys before he turned to Albedo and approached. "We'll be placing you in protective custody until Karian gets back."

"Protective custody?" Albedo echoed, frowning.

"It is for your own safety," Karian explained. "My assignment will leave me with no time to look after you tonight. I will pick you up from the safe house tomorrow night."

Albedo tried to make sense of the decision. While their actions would be normal if they were concerned for his well-being, he easily saw through it. They wanted to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't escape. Their "protective custody" was just one way to accomplish that goal without making it seem like he was under arrest. The result would be the same, though. Escape would be nearly impossible. However, he can to realize that it would likely be easier to elude human guards – if that turned out to be the case – than it would be to break free from his current captor.

"Very well," he conceded. "Although I would make one request. I require food as it has been quite a while since any has been provided."

"Your protection detail will likely make a stop to take care of that," Karian told him. "Until tomorrow." He gave Albedo one last warning glance before he headed for the door and out to complete whatever assignment he had just received.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Kevin rolled out from under the car long enough to look at the digital clock on one of the counters. It was just after one in the morning; later than he had planned to stay up. There was just one piece of tech that he wanted to add to the arsenal in his car, but it was almost proving to be more trouble than it was worth. Deciding to give it one more try, he slid back under the vehicle and resumed his work.

Only a handful of minutes had passed before he realized that fatigue was starting to wear on him. To reduce the risk of making a critical mistake with the installation, he came back out from under his car and stood. He gathered his tools and began the task of returning them to their proper storage areas. As he dropped the last one into a toolbox, a voice broke through the silence, startling him.

"I had not expected you to be awake," Karian remarked, leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kevin demanded, obviously not pleased by his sudden appearance. "I thought you were too busy dicking around in L.A. to hang out in Bellwood."

"Believe me, I could think of several people with whom I would rather spend my time, but, unfortunately, you and I have some business to discuss."

"Yeah, I don't think so." He shook his head and gestured to the door. "Get the hell out of my garage."

"Six years ago, you went on a rampage," Karian began, stalking forward. "You left a trail of destruction in your wake. Then there was the incident on the bridge where it seemed like you had finally been defeated."

"That was a long time ago," he stated, wondering why the vampire was bringing it up. "I did my time for that shit. It's done and over with."

"True," Karian conceded. "You spent time in the Null Void for assault and property damage. You never served time for murder, though."

"I never killed anyone."

"Are you sure about that?"

Kevin stared at him for a moment, unprepared for the turn the conversation had taken. He thought back to that day, and although the memory was hazy, he was nearly certain that he hadn't crossed that line. It couldn't have happened.

"While you were busy causing a scene and jumping all over the bridge, it was losing stability," Karian continued. "They pulled a woman from the water later that night; a casualty of your actions. Prior to that, there was a pair of security guards that were crushed in the collapse of a warehouse you destroyed. The list goes on."

"You're full of it."

"I almost wish I was," he said with a shrug. "But I knew it was only a matter of time before you ended up on my list. After the times you acted so superior and showed your disapproval of my actions, it seems just a little bit satisfying to learn that you are not as innocent as you pretend to be. And to think, you thought I was the monster..."

"You are a monster," Kevin retorted angrily.

"Perhaps you are correct, but at least I make no excuses for what I am." Taking another step forward, he continued. "The local authorities are waiting outside to provide an escort to Los Angeles. You can either come quietly or I can neutralize you for transport. The choice is yours."

"Take your best shot," he said with a smirk.

"I was hoping you would say that."

The two collided almost immediately, crashing into the wall with enough force to crack it. Kevin swore, having taken the brunt of the impact, and placed his hand against the stone surface. As the coating formed over his skin, he pulled his arm back and clenched his fist. He put all of his strength behind the punch, knowing that losing this fight was not an option.

Karian barely dodged in time, the concrete coating leaving an abrasion on the side of his face. Eyes flashing, he snarled, reaching out to grasp his opponent's arm. Tightening his grip, the stone cracked beneath his fingers and he dug his nails into the skin beneath. The scent of blood clouded his senses for a moment and he missed the retaliatory strike that connected solidly with his chin.

The distraction was all that Kevin needed to break free of his grasp and he tore his arm away, ignoring the gashes that were left in the process. He took a step back, using the moment to assess the situation and try to figure out how to keep an advantage. His reprieve was short lived, though, and he had to try to scramble out of reach when the vampire lunged at him again.

He had underestimated Karian's speed and found himself knocked to the floor, momentarily pinned as he got a too-close look at the razor-sharp fangs that were inches from his face. When the vampire lifted one arm to attack, Kevin used his weight against him and threw him off. They were both on their feet at the same time, circling each other slowly as they each tried to find an opportunity.

"You are only delaying the inevitable," Karian growled.

Kevin didn't respond. Instead, he feinted to the left before changing course and making an attempt to tackle him from the right. Karian saw through the tactic and countered by catching him and spinning him around. He managed to get the teenager into a headlock, but then Kevin snapped his head back, slamming his skull into Karian's face.

The impact was enough to cause the vampire to break his grip and he staggered back a few paces. The two eyed each other again, and Kevin was surprised to see his attacker smiling. The expression made much more sense when Karian reached into his jacket and withdrew his gun.

"It was fun sparring with you," he began. "But I'm on a schedule and time is slipping away."

"You're gonna shoot me now?" Kevin snorted in derision. "Figures."

"Not fatally, of course," Karian replied. "I would prefer not to waste the bullet, but if you insist on doing this the hard way, you would leave me no choice. So what's it going to be, Kevin?"

The teen weighed his options. He knew he couldn't dodge a bullet and even the remaining concrete covering his skin would only last so long against multiple shots. If he chose to continue the fight, he would also have to take Karian at his word that he wouldn't shoot to kill. There was no way he was going to trust him to do anything at this point, but he had to make a decision.

"Fine, you son of a bitch," he spat. "Good luck explaining this one to Ben."

"Explaining that you were arrested for multiple murders?" Karian countered.

"I told you, I didn't kill anyone."

"I have information that proves otherwise."

"Whatever." He watched the vampire approach again. The fact that the weapon was still aimed at him was the only thing that kept him from fighting back as the energy cuffs were placed on his wrists one at a time. "You're making a mistake. I hope whatever they're payin' you is worth it."

"Do yourself a favor, Kevin. Just shut up and move."

* * *

Albedo rested his head on the table, wondering how long it had been since he had eaten. He knew it had to have been sometime before he had woken up in the strange apartment the first time. His stomach had made its needs known for the past hour and it seemed like his "protection detail" was taking their time in providing the much-needed sustenance.

One of the officers had left shortly after their arrival, presumably to retrieve something edible, but each minute that he had to wait seemed longer than the last. Finally, the door to the motel room opened and the cop returned with a couple of paper bags. Lifting his head, Albedo watched him lock the door and set the chain in place before dropping the bags on the table and opening them.

"Who had the chili fries?"

Albedo glared at him, certain that the cop was taunting him, and lifted a hand. When he was handed the paper tray, he took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of hot chili. The scent brought images back, and despite his hunger, he paused with one french fry an inch away from his mouth.

_He was lost, wandering the city streets and searching for... something. In his hand, he had a cardboard tray of chili fries. It was nearly empty but it had been months since he had enjoyed the delicacy that seemed to be common only on Earth. _

_He was searching for some_one_ not some_thing_. But what?_

_He saw himself, only it wasn't himself. It was someone who looked like him. Or maybe he looked like the other person. It wasn't clear. Brown hair instead of white; green eyes instead of red. Who was this?_

"_This isn't a good time, Ben."_

_Ben. _

The name meant something even if the voice did not fit the hazy memory. Albedo knew he had not seen Karian with the boy from his memory in the same place, but he had no doubt that he had heard one end of a conversation between the two.

He absently took a bite of his fries, not tasting them at all as he tried to put the pieces together. He now knew that he had come to Earth on purpose to find the one known as "Ben", but why? It had to be related to their uncanny resemblance. There was no other logical explanation.

The memory fragments were nearly as frustrating as having no recollection of the journey to Earth. However, they were enough for him to start forming a plan. Thoughts of escape were no longer relevant. He could easily draw a connection between his prior captor and the one he was seeking on the night he had arrived on this planet. Now, all he had to do was figure out how to get the former to lead him to the latter.

* * *

"I want my phone call," Kevin demanded. "I have rights y'know!"

"I would imagine that they will let you have it when it is not considered the middle of the night," Karian replied as he checked the lock on the cell. "I trust you can survive the wait."

"Go to hell," he spat. "They can't keep me in here forever."

"True. They have forty-eight hours to verify the evidence and either charge you with the crimes or release you."

"So I have two days to figure out how badly I should kick your ass."

Karian didn't answer. Instead, he offered a smirk and turned to depart, leaving Kevin to his solitude.

The teenager guessed that there was only a little more than an hour before people started showing up for the day shift. He could be miles away by then. Stepping over to the walls, he studied the composition, absorbing a small amount to get a better idea of what he was working with.

It was solid, but he was pretty sure he could break through it. He hesitated, though. While he felt the impulse to get out of there, he could almost hear Gwen's voice of caution. If he broke out of jail, then they'd definitely think he was guilty. Not only would he have to prove he was innocent of murder, he'd have to explain why he ran. He might even lose his badge for good.

"Damn it!"

He slammed his fist into the wall, cracking the stone and reopening the wounds on his arm in the process as the muscle flexed. With a heavy sigh, he dropped down onto the bench, the only piece of furniture in the small cell. He hated waiting, but he had to admit that it seemed like his best option at the moment. He could only hope that Ben and Gwen would figure out how to get him out of there quickly.

* * *

By the time Karian had exchanged his brother-in-law's car for his own motorcycle and picked up Albedo from the safe house, dawn was nearly upon him. He offered little more than a warning glance as he brought the albino over to the bike. With a brief look up at the sky to gaugue how much time he had left, he prepared to secure his captive once again.

"I honestly do not think that is necessary," Albedo protested.

"I don't have time to argue with you."

"I can give you my word that I will not make another attempt to escape," he insisted.

Karian frowned. He sensed no deception in the statement, but the drastic change in attitude was a definite red flag. With another glance at the gradually lightening horizon, he nodded.

"Very well," he conceded as he climbed onto the motorcycle and tossed him the spare helmet. "Get on and hold on. I plan to travel fast."

Albedo caught the helmet awkwardly, but hurried to set it in place. Climbing onto the bike, he wrapped his arms around Karian's waist, tightening his grip when they sped out of the driveway and onto the streets. He didn't want to think about how fast they were going, certain that it was much faster than their initial journey earlier in the night. Instead, he tried to focus on holding on and wished for the ride to end without them colliding with another vehicle.

The sun was just barely cresting the horizon when Karian made the sharp turn into the parking garage beneath the building. Once they were safely under the cover, he slowed and then eased into a parking space. He turned the engine off and reached up to remove his helmet, not at all happy about how close his timing was.

"You can let go now," he remarked, tapping Albedo's hands.

"I am almost surprised we made it back in one piece." Releasing his grip, Albedo pulled his own helmet off and glared at him. "Were you trying to get us killed?"

"Quite the opposite, actually," he replied.

"I do not understand."

"I know." He chuckled softly, shaking his head as he got off of the bike and headed for the elevator lobby. There was a numeric keypad and a slot to insert a key, but no call buttons on the wall beside the doors. Sliding a key into place, Karian entered a few numbers and the elevator opened. "Get in. I will meet you upstairs."

"How will I know what floor...?" Albedo let the question trail off when he received a hard stare that demanded no argument.

As he stepped into the elevator, he looked to where he remembered the buttons to be in the last one he had ridden. The only one present was labeled "Emergency". Before he could ask any other questions, the doors whispered closed and the device began its ascent.

The ride gave him a few minutes to consider his situation. He was starting to second-guess his decision to cease his escape attempts. Although he believed that Karian knew the one person that might be able to help restore his missing memories, he had to admit that the man terrified him. It was a hard revelation to swallow, and he knew he would never admit it to anyone else, but he could deny it no longer.

Every moment he spent in his presence made him wonder if he was about to die. It was not a pleasant feeling. The man could go from humor to anger at what seemed like very little provocation. Albedo had to wonder if remembering the truth was worth risking his life. By the time the elevator arrived at its destination, he still hadn't found an answer.

To his surprise, Karian was leaning against the opposite wall when the doors opened. A glance at the digital display told him that they were on the seventeenth floor of the building. He was able to find no logical explanation for how his host had arrived first. There were no other elevators within view; only a door labeled "stairs". It was another curiosity that would have to wait until another time to be solved.

"I have already unlocked the apartment," Karian stated. "Come on."

Albedo had no choice but to follow. As soon as they were inside, the metal panel began to lower, sealing the exit. Similar panels were already in place over the windows. The living room was illuminated by a decorative floor lamp and little else. Once his eyes had adjusted to the dim light, he was able to take note of the specifics. He had paid almost no attention to the place earlier in the night, but now he realized that he hadn't missed much. Aside from the necessary pieces of furniture, the apartment seemed sparsely decorated.

"I thought you did not plan to return until tomorrow night," he ventured, his tone cautious. The last thing he wanted was to provoke him, but he had to at least try to open the lines of communication.

"Plans changed," Karian responded. "I wasn't exactly comfortable with leaving you there. After what happened here, I felt it was an unnecessary risk."

"I see." It was a fair answer, he supposed, and at least it was a response instead of a threat. Testing the waters a little more, he slowly sat down on the sofa. "Where did you go?"

"I had to leave town to handle some business. It's nothing that you need to be concerned with."

It was the most he was going to offer on that subject. He walked into the kitchen and opened one of the cabinets. Moving the few glasses aside, he slid the back panel off and opened the hidden cooler. After he withdrew an opaque bottle, he replaced the panel and returned to the living room. He dropped into the armchair, twisting the lid off of the bottle as he watched Albedo shift nervously.

"Relax," he advised him. "Assuming you don't do anything else stupid, I'm not going to hurt you."

"That is very comforting," Albedo said dryly before realizing his tone.

"You're certain that you do not remember anything about coming to this planet?" he asked, ignoring the remark.

"Very little," he admitted, realizing that the truth might be more beneficial at the moment. "I remember that I was searching for someone who looks like me, although I cannot remember why."

"I will offer some advice then," Karian began. He paused to take a sip from the bottle before speaking again. "If you haven't remembered by tomorrow night, then return to the ship we visited tonight and leave this place. Do not look back and do not return."

* * *

**_A/N: I've taken some liberties with the way the law actually works and I apologize if that bothers anyone. Occasionally, there is cause to bend real-world rules in order to progress a plotline. I hope you found it enjoyable anyway._**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

It was just after eleven in the morning when Ben was awoken by a knock on his bedroom door. Rolling over, he squinted at the sunlight pouring through his window and looked over at the clock on the nightstand. Before he could say anything, the door opened, even as his guest knocked on it again.

"You're still in bed?" Gwen asked, shaking her head.

"I thought I was supposed to sleep in during winter break," he replied with a yawn. He propped himself up on his elbows and blinked a few times, forcing coherency into his thoughts. "I thought you had plans with Kevin today."

"I did," she said. "He's not answering his phone, though. I was wondering if you'd heard from him." Taking another look at him, she sighed. "I guess it's obvious that you haven't."

"He probably slept in too," he offered as he dropped back down onto his pillow.

"I thought about that." Her expression showed that it wasn't a viable option and she pulled her Plumber's badge out of her pocket. Pressing a button on the side, a map on the town was projected above the device and she pointed to the dots. "Here we are and here's where Kevin's badge is, but he's not there. I can't get a read on him."

"Kevin wouldn't go anywhere without his badge." Ben sat up fully, the conclusion forcing him awake. "So you can't pinpoint his location at all?"

"It's not an exact science, Ben. He's not in Bellwood or even anywhere in a forty mile radius of the town." Her concern was obvious, despite her attempts to keep her tone completely factual. "I can tell that he's still on this planet and that he's alive, but that's all I have right now."

Ben nodded as his brow furrowed in thought. All signs pointed to the theory that Kevin had been taken against his will, but it would have taken a lot of muscle to make that happen. All they had was Gwen's assessment that he was still on Earth, but that didn't get them any closer to finding him.

"Let me get dressed and we'll head over to his place. There have to be clues there," he told her. "I'll meet you downstairs in a couple of minutes."

Fifteen minutes later, Jetray set Gwen on the ground gently and landed, transforming back into a very serious-looking Ben. His muscles tensed as he took a cautious step towards the open garage. Gwen had prepared a fist-sized orb of mana, preparing for anything that might be lying in wait within the structure.

The car was parked and appeared undamaged, but that was the only thing that looked like it was where it should be. Tools were scattered across the floor and cracks had spread from a large indentation in the wall. Ben swallowed the regret that had formed a lump in his throat when he noticed the rust-colored drops on the concrete, certain that they indicated spilled blood. His mind flashed back to the recent argument and, for a moment, he feared that he wouldn't have the chance to reconcile with his friend.

"He didn't go quietly," he stated, forcing himself to focus on the matter at hand. "There aren't many people on Earth that could have taken him down, though."

"Maybe it wasn't someone from Earth, but they're keeping him on this planet because they don't expect us to look for him here," Gwen said thoughtfully. When Ben gave her a confused look, she elaborated. "Think about it. Every time some bounty hunter or another shows up, they always plan on making a delivery to whoever hired them and we head out into space first. If someone knows our tactics, they might be waiting for a pickup on Earth instead, knowing we wouldn't be here."

"But they didn't count on you being able to know whether or not he's left the planet."

"Exactly."

"It's a good thought, but-" His sentence was cut short by the shrill ring of her cell phone.

"I don't know this number," Gwen said, frowning as she brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?" Her features lit up with relief when she heard the voice on the other end. "Kevin! Where are you? Are you alright?"

"Put him on speaker," Ben told her.

"I ain't got much time," Kevin said as Gwen pressed the button to set the device on speakerphone. "Long story short, I'm in L.A."

"What are you doing in L.A.?" Ben interrupted.

"I'm in jail. You can thank your ex for that." He paused briefly. "I'll thank him myself when you guys get me out of here."

"Why are you in jail, Kevin?" Gwen asked, trying to make sense of it.

"For something I didn't do. They're sayin' I gotta go now, but hurry up and get out here."

* * *

Albedo felt like he had just fallen asleep when he heard the door across the hall slam open against a wall. The only sound to follow was Karian's voice, but it was quiet enough to keep the specifics of his statements incoherent. He waited for a moment and then crept over to his door. After listening to determine his host's location, he carefully turned the handle and pulled the door open.

He heard Karian's voice coming from the direction of the living room and slowly headed towards it. The carpet kept his footsteps quiet and he stopped around the corner, straining to hear.

"I did my job," Karian snapped, his irritation apparent in his tone.

Risking a glance around the corner, Albedo caught a glimpse of the man standing in the kitchen. He was rummaging in the cabinet, moving glasses aside, with his cell phone resting on the counter.

"By arresting him?" an angry voice demanded from the device, indicating that it was on speaker. Albedo was sure he recognized it and inched closer, determined to learn as much from the exchange as possible.

"Yes, by arresting him," Karian replied as he turned around, grasping one of the opaque bottles. Albedo pressed his back against the wall, but continued to listen. "I warned you about him before, Ben. A tiger doesn't change its stripes, remember? He tried to kill you then and succeeded in killing others. What part of that is so hard for you to understand?"

"He said he didn't kill anyone."

"Of course he's going to say that," Karian said with exasperation. "At least I was honest with you when someone ended up dead."

"Yeah you were," Ben admitted. "That doesn't make it right, though. I believe him."

"You're being foolish. You want to think he's changed. Fine. That doesn't mean that he wasn't capable of taking a life back then. Again, I remind you that he tried multiple times to take yours."

"You're not going to help us, are you?" His voice sounded like a mixture of defeat and anger.

"No, I'm not." Karian almost sounded regretful and Albedo glanced around the corner again to see if he could read his expression. To his surprise, the green eyes looked directly at him as a pale hand snapped the phone up and turned the speaker function off. "You're on your own with this one." He paused, frowning. "Yes, I know I was the one that put him there. I was there, remember?"

Albedo heard the edge creeping into his tone and felt a chill go down his spine. Karian was still watching him, but had made no move to leave the kitchen. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

"Fine. Have it your way." Karian didn't end the call in the traditional manner. Instead, he clenched his fist around the phone with enough force to crush it. His eyes flashed with a bright, green light briefly before fading to their normal hue. After taking a moment to restrain his emotions, he dropped the pieces of the ruined device onto the counter and picked a shard of plastic out of his palm.

"How much did you hear?" When Albedo didn't immediately respond, he stalked forward. "Albedo," he prompted, his voice dropping to a growl. "How long were you standing there?"

"Only a few minutes," the albino said, his instincts warning him that he was facing a very dangerous situation. Despite that, his mind was racing as things started clicking into place. It wasn't a complete picture, but it was more than he had possessed earlier. "I heard that you had apprehended someone and your associate found it displeasing."

Karian glared at him for a moment, angered by the phone conversation and by the fact that Albedo had been eavesdropping. Shaking his head slightly, he brought himself back under control yet again and looked over at the clock. It was only midafternoon, but he doubted that he would be able to rest now. However, he was in no mood to explain anything else to his guest.

"Get some sleep," he said finally. "If my associate does what I expect him to do, then it will be a busy night."

* * *

Ben pressed down further on the accelerator, forcing the vehicle to an even greater speed. They had taken Kevin's car. Even though they knew he didn't like anyone else driving it, they also knew he'd be grateful for the availability of it when they got him out of jail. It was also the best solution to get them from Bellwood to Los Angeles.

He had nearly punched the console when the phone call had ended and he could tell Gwen was just as furious as he was. The realization that the worst-case scenario involved fighting their former teammate only made matters worse. Gwen was sure that Kevin was innocent, but the fact that he had been out of his mind when he allegedly killed someone caused a sliver of doubt to worm its way into the back of Ben's mind.

_He couldn't have,_ he told himself. _Yeah, he was crazy, and he came close a few times, but I don't think he had it in him to take it all the way._ The memory of the subway when they were kids came to the forefront and he eased back on the accelerator slightly. _Then again, he would have let those trains crash and who knows how many people would have died?_

_No_, he decided. _Whatever was going through his mind then, he's a different person now and he needs our help. We'll sort it out later._ He looked over at his cousin as she finally broke the silence.

"How could he?" she demanded. "After everything we've faced as a team, how could he go after Kevin like that?"

"I don't know," Ben said honestly. "But I'm going to find out. Call Grandpa Max and see if he can pull some strings with the local cops. Maybe we can go above their heads on this and the Plumbers will handle it."

"It's worth a shot," she agreed.

Albedo stared up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the fragments of memories that were racing through his head. It all came back to Ben Tennyson. He had pieces of events that involved the teenager and the device that he carried. Most of them were not pleasant. He came to the conclusion that their meetings had never been friendly. There was something important about the device, though, if he could just remember.

"The Omnitrix," he whispered, his eyes widening as the significance of the item became apparent. That was the key, he realized. That was why he needed the human with whom he shared a likeness. It was the solution to everything. "But how?" he wondered.

He still only had the framework of the memories. He remembered that at one time, he had been in possession of a similar device, but it was imperfect. He needed the original. No, he _deserved_ the original and that human had kept it out of his reach.

His eyes narrowed as his fists clenched.

He had to get back to his ship, but that meant finding a way to convince his host to let him go. _He did say that I should go back to the vessel and depart if I hadn't fully regained my memory_, he realized as he sat up. Rising, he headed to the door and walked out into the hall. When he reached the living room, he stopped, noting that Karian was still up.

"You've decided to go back to the ship." The statement caused Albedo to pause and he could have sword he saw amusement at his confusion in Karian's eyes. "You do not, however, plan on leaving this planet." He closed the file he had been reading and set it aside. "And yet, you expect me to let you leave."

"You are correct," Albedo said. "On every conclusion you have come to. I see no reason why I should be forced to remain here."

Karian watched him thoughtfully for a moment, weighing his options. The easiest way to handle it would be to let him leave and have him out of the way if things went further downhill with the other Plumbers. The only problem with that was that he wasn't sure just how much Albedo remembered and the information he had found in the ship made it clear that if he planned to stay, it would likely cause trouble.

"I will admit, this is going against my better judgment, but I no longer have the time to be your babysitter." He stood and approached his guest, stopping about a foot away. "I want your word on this, though. Should you stumble upon me while I am engaged in business or if I am in the middle of a fight – even if you would like my opponent to win – you will not interfere. You will turn, walk the other way, and forget what you have witnessed."

"Very well," Albedo agreed, forcing himself not to take a step back to put some distance between them. "You have my word."

It seemed like a simple enough request. The last thing he wanted was to get in the middle of a fight between Karian and anyone. Even though he knew the man could lead him to Ben, he was confident he could find the teenager on his own. Yes, it would be better for him in the long run to stay far away from this being.

Again, he found himself under scrutiny. Squaring his shoulders, he forced himself to meet his gaze evenly, trying to hide the unease that was welling up inside of him. After what seemed like an eternity, he watched Karian nod and almost breathed a sigh of relief.

"I expect you to keep your promise, Albedo." There was no mistaking the veiled threat in his words.

"Of course."

* * *

Max had met them at the jail and neither of the cousins had planned to ask him how he had managed to arrive before them. He had instructed them to wait outside while he dealt with the local authorities, but nearly an hour had passed since he had disappeared into the building.

"Five more minutes and I'm going in," Ben stated as he leaned against the car. He unzipped his jacket and folded his arms over his chest. The temperature was in the low 60s, but the sun made it feel much warmer. "I don't get what's taking so long anyway."

As if on cue, Max emerged from the building and made his way down the steps towards the pair. His expression gave away nothing, but the look in his eyes told Gwen that he didn't have good news to share. Ben straightened and let his arms fall to his sides as he and Gwen moved to meet him halfway.

"Well?" Gwen prompted.

"They haven't officially charged him yet, but it doesn't look good," Max said. "They have a lot of evidence. Most of it is circumstantial at best, but it's enough to make a mess out of things."

"Then we break him out," Ben stated.

"No, Ben," he said, shaking his head. "They have just over twenty-four hours to make a case and decide whether or not to charge him. Our best bet is to let them figure it out and go from there. If they don't charge him, then we can all go home tomorrow night and everything will be alright."

"But what if they decide that they have enough to make a case?" Gwen asked.

"Then we'll go over their heads and get the Plumbers involved," he assured her. "Technically speaking, he was a mentally imbalanced hodgepodge of aliens when the supposed crimes took place. That makes it our jurisdiction, not the LAPD's."

"So we have to wait," Ben concluded, obviously not happy with the idea.

"That's the best way to handle it right now," Max replied. "If you try something stupid, like breaking him out of jail, then all three of you could lose your badges or worse. You might even end up in the Null Void if the Plumbers get involved." He signed, reading their expressions clearly. "I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but you called me for help and I'm giving you the best help I can right now. That's telling you to sit tight and let things work themselves out for now."

"Can we go in and see him?" Gwen asked.

"I asked," he said. "They don't usually let them have visitors right now, but I have a friend with some rank in there and he's setting up a visit for tomorrow."

"So, more waiting," Ben said sullenly.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note:** I realize that the previous chapter wasn't my best work. The only explanation I can offer is a combination of fatigue and the fact that I hadn't written in months. While it's not an excuse, I hope it's at least understandable. I'd like to thank the anonymous reviewer to the last chapter. I appreciate con-crit, especially when it's obviously intended to help as yours certainly was. I hope this next chapter is closer to what you were hoping for. Thanks for sticking with it :)_

**Chapter Eight**

It had been another long night for Kevin. They had kept him separated from the rest of the detainees, but he wasn't sure whether that was for his safety or theirs. It didn't really matter to him. He'd done time in the Null Void. There was no way he'd be worried about a handful of idiots locked up in the local jail.

He stared up at the ceiling, scowling as he tried to remember the events that led to his current predicament. He knew that he had been out of control back then, but he was certain that he hadn't managed to kill anyone. There was just no way that it was possible. No matter how many times he repeated that to himself, though, he couldn't drive away the small, but persistent, voice of doubt.

The thought occurred to him several times that perhaps this whole mess was just a prank – Karian's way of gaining the upper hand in their long-standing dispute. He had no problem believing that the vampire would have taken the time to plan something this elaborate; even down to planting the incriminating evidence. On the other hand, something like this would definitely be crossing the line, even for the bloodsucker.

"Kevin!"

The familiar voice brought him out of his thoughts and he was instantly on his feet. Rushing to the bars of his cell, he placed his hands on hers and almost managed a grin.

"Gwen," he began. "What's the deal? When am I getting out of here? Where's Ben?"

"He's outside," she said, answering the last question first. "They're only letting us in one at a time. Grandpa Max is here too and he's trying to talk them out of charging you with anything. He said he can go to the Plumbers if he has to."

"They're gonna charge me," he stated. "Think about it, Gwen. Who put me in here? Whose brother-in-law is the goddamn District Attorney?"

"We'll figure something out," she assured him. "From what Grandpa told us, it was around 3 in the morning when they brought you in, so they still have some time before they have to make a decision." Reading the doubt in his eyes, she sighed. "Don't worry, Kevin. We'll get you out of here."

* * *

Albedo grasped at every stray memory that flashed behind his eyes, trying to make sense of everything that was returning to the surface. With each passing moment, he could feel his anger welling up, burning in the pit of his stomach. Cold sweat dried on his skin as he shifted restlessly in the pilot's chair of his ship.

His eyes snapped open as the dream finally released him. His breath came in ragged gasps as his heart seemed determined to break free from its prison within his chest. The images haunted him, but it was impossible for him to decide how much of them were attributed to authentic memories and how many were simply embellishments of what he may have experienced.

Standing, he moved to the small storage space beneath the main control console and dropped to a crouch. He emptied the compartment, scanning through and discarding each piece in turn. _It has to be here,_ he told himself, his frustration adding fuel to the anger he had experienced during his brief slumber. However, despite his insistence, the item he sought was definitely not present.

Rising again, he forced himself to calm down. He knew that he could not fully trust his memory yet, but he was almost certain that he had brought the schematics with him. They were a crucial part of his plans and he couldn't rely on prior knowledge to assist him, especially when facing the very real possibility that his knowledge might be inaccurate.

"Worry about it later," he muttered as he pressed the button to open the hatch. A cool breeze greeted him as he stood, staring out at the woods surrounding the landing site. Tire tracks were still etched in the soft soil near the vessel, accompanied by his more recent footprints.

A smirk slowly began to form on his lips as he realized where he could find the answers he so desperately sought. Racing back to the console, he keyed in a few commands. When the results appeared projected above the buttons, he almost laughed, wondering why he hadn't figured it out sooner. Wasting no more time, he grabbed the red and black jacket from the back of his chair and rushed out of the ship.

* * *

Ben rubbed his eyes, tired and irritated by the long day and lack of results from their efforts. Max had left an hour earlier to meet with one of his Plumber contacts in hopes of gaining the upper hand in the debate with the local authorities. It was difficult for him to sit on the sidelines, but if he wasn't careful, he could end up in a cell too and that wouldn't help anything.

He had gotten a chance to talk to Kevin and get a better grasp on what had happened, but it still made little sense to him. _Why would this come up now, after all these years?_ He kept coming back to that same question and still hadn't figured it out. _And how did Karian even get involved to begin with?_

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, he stood and stretched, wincing at the stiff ache in his legs from sitting too long. Thanks to Max, they had been allowed to stay and visit longer than planned and Gwen had spent most of the day in the secluded holding area where Kevin was being kept. He walked over to the counter and waited for one of the officers to acknowledge him.

"Can I get a pen and paper, please?" he asked. When the cop provided them, Ben scribbled a note and handed them back. "When my cousin comes out again, would you mind giving this to her?"

"Sure, kid." He didn't look happy about it, but he took the items anyway.

Ben wasn't convinced that the man would deliver the message, but it was getting close to sunset and he knew that the best option for figuring this mess out was to ask the only other person involved. Fishing the borrowed set of car keys out of his pocket, he headed down to the parking garage, mentally rehearsing the list of things he planned to ask.

An odd sense of paranoia shadowed his every step, but he squared his shoulders, refusing to give in to what he was sure was just his nerves and fatigue playing tricks on him. He spun the keys on one finger as he approached the car. When he had reached it, he grasped the ring and slid the key into the lock. As he did so, he paused to look at his reflection in the glass of the window.

He blinked a few times, realizing something seemed off about it, but couldn't quite place it. The lights of the garage cast a pallor over the image, but something in his eyes caused warning bells to scream in his head. He watched his features twist into a triumphant smirk half a second before he felt the sharp pain at the base of his neck.

Albedo watched him drop to the concrete floor, savoring the victory for a brief moment before his sense of urgency returned. Pulling his backpack around to the front, he dropped the injection gun inside and withdrew a metal gauntlet. He slid the object over Ben's hand, pulling it up to cover the Omnitrix, and pressed a button on the palm to lock it in place.

Next, he pulled an electronic notepad from the bag and checked the settings, realizing he only had a few more minutes before the cameras in the area started recording again instead of replaying in the loop as he had designed. He knelt down beside his unconscious twin and placed a hand on his shoulder. Another device was withdrawn from his small collection and a simple command activated the teleporter.

* * *

"Have you seen my cousin?" Gwen asked the officer behind the counter when she returned to the waiting area.

"Yeah," the man said, handing her the note. "He left this for you."

She nodded her thanks as she took the paper and unfolded it. _Went to get answers,_ she read silently. _I'll be back before 9. Ben._ Her eyes moved to the clock before she read the note again. It was already nine-thirty, but there was no sign of him. She shoved the note into her pocket and headed down to the garage, deciding to check and see if he had taken the car.

When she saw the black and green muscle car exactly where they had left it earlier, she sighed and turned to head back upstairs. As she turned, the light glinted off of something metal and she paused. She turned back around and headed over to the car, her eyes scanning the ground for a better look at what she thought she had seen.

_There it is,_ she realized, kneeling down to examine the set of keys that had partially slid under the vehicle. _This isn't right._ Both she and Ben knew how important the car was to Kevin. Gwen was also certain that Ben wouldn't have just left the keys on the ground. Her senses tingled as she concentrated on the area, picking up the impressions left by those who had been in the area earlier. The results were hazy, but she was at least able to discern that Ben hadn't left on his own.

* * *

Karian finished scraping the remains of his shattered cell phone into the trash. He had been able to salvage the SIM card, but he would have to find a store that was still open to replace the device itself. _Watch your temper,_ he chided himself. _You are heading towards the edge again. This will not do._

Shaking his head, he grabbed his keys from the small hook on the wall and headed towards the door. He absently grabbed his helmet along the way and then thought better of it when he was halfway across the room. It would take more time than he was willing to spend configuring the new phone when he purchased it. It seemed better to just wait until he returned home.

Setting the item back on the table, he resumed his previous course and almost made it to the door before the sound of a sharp, fast knock came from the other side. He reflexively reached for his gun as he cautiously approached, but relaxed slightly when he sensed the familiar presence.

"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" he asked after opening the door.

He was not prepared for the response. A bright band of mana grasped him and forced him back across the apartment. The opposite wall stopped his momentum, but the pressure remained, pinning him against the solid object. He struggled to break free, but even his enhanced strength couldn't help him escape from the ensnaring threads.

"Where is he?" Gwen demanded.

"What are you talking about?" he countered.

"Karian," she began, her voice low. "I'm only going to ask this one more time. My boyfriend is in jail, Ben is missing, and you're in the middle of it, so don't you dare lie to me right now. Where. Is. He?"

The final three words had been spoken through clenched teeth and her eyes had flashed bright pink, matching the hue of her mana. Karian had seen her in battle and knew she could be a formidable opponent, but he had not been prepared for just how dangerous she could be. With the increasing pressure on his chest from the bonds, he was thankful that he didn't have to breathe as it would have been nearly impossible for him to do so at the moment.

"He's not here, Gwen," he said evenly, wincing as the mana pushed him further into the wall. "I have not seen him since you two arrived in Los Angeles. I wasn't even aware that you were in town until you came knocking at my door. Believe it or disbelieve as you will, but that's the truth."

She stared at him for another minute, weighing his answer and trying to determine how honest his words were. Letting her hand fall to her side, she let the mana fade, releasing him. He staggered at the sudden absence of the restraints, but caught his balance quickly and rubbed his side.

"You're going to help me find him," she stated, leaving no room for debate.

"Of course," he said. "You're not the only one who cares about him." He caught her glare, but noticed that she declined to comment on the statement. "When did you last see him?"

"He was in the waiting area at the jail," she explained, her mood visibly darkening. "He left a note saying he was going to find answers and would be back by nine. It wasn't exactly a difficult conclusion to reach that he would come here."

"He never arrived."

"He didn't leave the parking garage on his own. So, if you didn't take him, then someone else did." She mulled over possible scenarios for a moment before speaking again. "It had to be someone very strong or very smart. There's no way that he would have lost a fight if it came head-on."

"Indeed." He leaned back, folding his arms over his chest as he considered the possibilities. "He isn't short on enemies. Can you not track his Omnitrix with your badge?"

"Don't you think I've already tried that?" She shook her head in frustration. "My badge isn't picking up the signal from the Omnitrix. I even tried tracking him using my powers and it's like he doesn't even exist. Something's shielding him."

"Very clever," he mused. "We're not going to find him while standing around here," he said after a moment. "Let's go."

* * *

The answer was there – it had to be. Every time he thought he had the solution in his grasp, it vanished at the edges of his memory. Albedo slammed fist down on the table and began to pace, swearing in six different languages.

"Lose something?" Ben asked hoarsely, managing a slight grin.

He was on the floor, half-propped against the wall, with his hands bound uncomfortably behind his back. The lingering effect of the drug made his vision blur, and, occasionally, he would see two of everything. A headache persisted, throbbing behind his eyes as he tried to hang on to coherency.

"Silence," Albedo ordered.

"That's a nasty bruise," he continued, pausing to cough. "Rub someone the wrong way?"

Albedo absently lifted a hand to rub the side of his head where he had been struck. The incident had come back to him and he was certain that it was to blame for his current mental predicament. Ben watched him, trying to focus on him so that the room would stop spinning. The heavy, metal device still covered the Omnitrix, preventing him from utilizing it. Not that he would have been able to do much in his current condition anyway.

"I said silence," the albino repeated. He was trying to recall the more recent events since he had awoken in the strange apartment. He concentrated on every detail, tuning out the occasional, weak taunt from his nemesis. Finally, it struck him and he straightened. "Damn him."

He strode purposefully over to Ben and reached down, taking the cell phone from the pocket of the green jacket. Scanning through the numbers, he found the one he was seeking and brought the item to his ear. There was no way he was going to accept failure when he was this close to his goal.


	9. Chapter 9

**_A/N:_**_ Warning... this chapter contains violence - sometimes graphic._

**Chapter Nine**

"Explain this to me again," Gwen began impatiently. "How is buying a new phone getting us any closer to finding Ben?"

"I need to make a call," Karian said.

"You could have borrowed mine."

"I would prefer not to."

He paused outside of the store and placed the SIM card under the battery before turning it over and pressing the button to turn it on. Gwen leaned against his motorcycle and watched him, her irritation written clearly on her face. She checked her watch while he walked a few paces away and made his phone call. It was ten at night and the store was closing for the night.

"Done," he declared as he approached again.

"Then we need to start moving," she replied. "Maybe we should go back to the jail and start our search in the garage. I might have missed something."

"Very well. It seems as good a place to start as any." He took his place on the motorcycle and waited for Gwen to get on. Before he could turn the key, he was interrupted by the ring of his new phone. He blinked once when he read the caller-ID, a sense of unease settling over him. "It's Ben. Or Ben's phone at least."

"Answer it," she told him.

"Obviously," he said dryly before lifting the device to his ear. "Ben?"

"Not exactly, but close," the voice said on the other end of the line.

"Where is he?" Karian demanded.

"Who is it?" Gwen mouthed, leaning forward as she tried to hear.

"He is keeping me company for now," was the response.

"Do not play games with me, Albedo." He turned on the speaker function and held a finger to his lips to signal Gwen to stay quiet. "Either tell me where you are or I_ will_ hunt you down."

"I suggest that you watch that temper," Albedo warned. "Now, you have something I need and I have something you want."

"This isn't a bargaining table."

"Of course it is. You would not want anything to happen to Ben, would you?"

"If you harm him in any way," his voice dropped to a low growl, "I will find you and skin you alive. Do I make myself clear?"

"Your threats bore me," Albedo said, his tone supporting the words. "So here is what will happen next. You will meet me at Santa Monica Pier and return the information you took from my ship. In exchange, I will return Ben – unharmed."

Before Karian could respond, the line went dead. It took most of his self-control to refrain from crushing the phone as he had the last one. Shaking his head, he replaced it in the case on his belt and turned his head to regard Gwen.

"How do you know Albedo?" she asked, her expression showing that she would accept nothing less than the truth.

"Is that relevant?" he countered. Her eyes narrowed slightly and he forced an exasperated sigh. "We don't have time for a full explanation."

"The Cliff's Notes version would work." She received a confused look in response. "Shorten it into something that we do have time for, but start talking."

"Fine," he agreed. "I found him in an alley a few days ago. He was in the process of getting mugged and had already been knocked unconscious. So, I took him back to my apartment. It seemed that he had lost most of his more recent memories, but had started to regain them over the course of his time there. He requested to return to his ship and I agreed."

"And why didn't you think to call us and let us know that Ben's evil clone was here?"

"If you hadn't noticed, communication has not been our strong point lately."

"That's not the point," she said angrily. "We've been trying to figure out if he's on Earth for most of the week and he's been here the whole time. You should have called."

"Perhaps if I had known you were looking for him, I would have," he retorted. "Now, are we going to sit her all night arguing about this or are we going to go get Ben back?" When she declined to respond, he spoke again. "I may have a plan."

* * *

Karian crouched on the edge of the roof, studying each pedestrian as they passed beneath him. From his perch atop the twelve-story building, he had a clear view of the main entrance to the attractions. The glare of the lights was mildly uncomfortable, but his vision was still sharp enough to pick up the details of those on the ground. Gwen was keeping watch at a secondary entry point, but had reported no sign of Albedo yet.

"I figured that you would make an attempt to gain the advantage."

Karian stood and turned to face the speaker, his eyes narrowing as he took a step forward. He stopped when Albedo raised a device that resembled a sleek, technologically advanced pistol. Taking a guess at the velocity and projectile type, he figured he might have a chance to dodge at least one shot and close the distance. It wasn't worth the risk, though. He needed information first.

"I believe this is what you were looking for," he said instead, withdrawing the electronic tablet from the inner pocket of his jacket. "Now where is Ben?"

"Give it to me," Albedo ordered.

"Answer the question first."

"We will do this on my terms." He kept the weapon trained on Karian as he cautiously approached. "You will give me what is mine and then I will tell you where to find him."

"The bargain implied that you would bring him with you," Karian said, his muscles tensing.

"And now you have learned a lesson in what happens when you assume." He held out his free hand. "I will not ask again."

Karian remained motionless for a moment more, glaring at him, before he placed the tablet in his outstretched hand. As he slowly released his grip, his other hand shot out to grab Albedo's other arm. Anticipating the tactic, the albino squeezed the trigger, sending forth a bright beam of energy. It struck Karian squarely in the chest, the force propelling him backward before he could get a firm grip.

The projectile was not a brief burst. It maintained a steady, offensive stream, forcing the vampire backwards. Karian tried to stand his ground, but the pressure was more than he could handle and he found himself up against the ledge. He managed to pull a small throwing knife from his belt and threw it towards his opponent, hoping that his limited aim would at least be effective enough to release him from the assault.

Despite his efforts, the attack sent him over the edge of the roof and he found himself falling twelve stories towards the ground. As he fell, he heard a pained curse and was able to take comfort in the fact that he had managed to do at least some damage.

Unable to recover from the effects of the beam, he hit the ground hard. He could feel the pain and the sickening snap of bones breaking and he simply lay there for a few minutes. It was difficult to take stock of his injuries and he tried to differentiate between the ones incurred by the fall and the smoldering hole that was burned into the center of his chest.

He was thankful, at least, that one arm hadn't been broken and he managed to remove his phone from his belt. Before he could dial a number, the device fell to pieces, damaged from the fall. Groaning out a swear, he tried to reach his Plumber's badge in his pocket. He had to bite his lip to keep from crying out from the pain, but he eventually had the badge in hand. His eyes briefly lifted to the top of the building and he wondered why no further attack had come.

_The coward probably ran as soon as he had the chance,_ he decided. _And why not? He has what he wanted._ Pressing a button on the badge, he was able to pinpoint Gwen's location and pressed another button to send her an encoded distress signal. There was little else he could do but wait and he closed his eyes as his body attempted to heal itself.

Gwen raced through the park, her path mostly unobstructed as the patrons were heading home for the night. It was nearly eleven o'clock and most of the rides were turning off their lights. Carefully avoiding the scattered trash and debris from the day's visitors, she made her way to the main entrance quickly.

She glanced down to check the location on her badge, hardly slowing as she neared her destination. She wasn't prepared for the sight that awaited her as she rounded the corner into the alley. Stopping in her tracks, her eyes widened and she lifted a hand to her mouth.

Karian lay motionless on the ground and failed to even acknowledge her presence. Gwen shook herself free from the momentary shock and rushed over, dropping down beside him to get a better look at the damage. Bone was visible through the ruin of his chest and a compound fracture caused more of it to protrude from his left forearm. It was difficult to tell the extent of any other injuries he had and the only indication that he had survived was the fact that his wounds were slowly – too slowly, she realized – healing.

"What happened?" she asked, more to herself than to him. When he started to respond, she carefully placed a hand on what she hoped was his uninjured right shoulder. "Easy. Don't try to talk. You're in pretty bad shape."

"No shit," he remarked, his voice strained. "I need…"

"I know," she said when left the sentence hanging. She shifted uncomfortable, but before she could say more, he made the decision for her.

"Not yours." His words brought her some measure of relief. "My bike… around the corner… in the bags."

"Got it."

Gwen jumped up, wasting no more time and refusing to allow him to waste more energy trying to explain. She raced out of the alley to the open parking lot near the building and spotted the motorcycle. The left bag held spare clothes and a few assorted weapons and she grabbed one of the shirts before opening the right bag. Inside, she found a small cooler and lifted it out of the compartment.

She immediately set to work when she returned, pulling one of the bottles from the cooler and lowering it towards him. She hesitated only briefly when he winced as she tried to lift his head slightly to help him drink. A trickle of the crimson liquid escaped the corner of his mouth and dripped on the pavement, but he seemed to be getting most of it.

"If you're able to hold the next one, I can set that arm," she told him as she set the empty bottle aside and pulled out another.

"I think I'll manage," he said. "Help me sit up?"

A little effort and several growled swears later, Karian was propped against the outer wall of the closest building. He was able to grasp the second bottle in his left hand and Gwen took a closer look at the right. The torn skin was healing faster than the broken bone, although it seemed like it was trying to reconnect with the other half.

"This is going to hurt," she warned as she tore the spare shirt into strips. "I think I'm going to have to open this one up wider to set the bone properly."

He nodded, setting the bottle aside as he removed a knife from his belt and handed it to her. She took a deep breath, forcing her hands to remain steady as she cut a thin incision in his forearm. Only a small amount of blood seeped forth, darker and thicker than that of a human. Dropping the knife, she grasped his arm with both hands and forced the bone back into place.

She winced as he swore again, trying to convince herself that the low growl was just a side effect of his pain and not a direct threat. Once the bone had been positioned, she one of the cloth scraps around his arm, making sure that it was tight enough to hold it in place.

"It's the best I can do without anything to use as a splint," she said.

"It will suffice," he assured her. The hole in his chest was closing quicker and he finished the second bottle of blood quickly.

"Where else are you hurt?"

"It's hard to tell," he said. "It feels like I have a few broken ribs. My ankle was broken, but it's mostly healed now. Two cracked vertebrae, which are also nearly healed. It seems that I landed more on my left side than directly on my back or it probably would have been much worse. I will survive, at least."

"I thought it took a lot to hurt you."

"It does," he confirmed. "A laser to the chest followed by a fall from the roof of a twelve story building, ending with an awkward landing on asphalt isn't exactly a small amount of punishment. I'm immortal, Gwen, not indestructible."

"I see," she said thoughtfully. "Were you able to do it?"

"Was there ever any doubt?" he replied with a weak grin.

"Well, you did get thrown off a building," she remarked.

"A minor setback." He gave a short laugh, but then closed his eyes and clenched his teeth in pain. When it had passed, he looked at her again. "I'll need to use your phone. I seem to be having difficulties keeping mine in one piece."

* * *

"Why did you do it?" Gwen asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

They had made a brief stop at Karian's apartment to trade the motorcycle for Kevin's car. They had debated on it for longer than they should have. Karian argued that Albedo would hear the engine from a mile away and that, since he had modified it, the bike would have been the stealthier option. Gwen felt compelled to point out that his one-handed steering of the motorcycle – especially at the high speeds that he preferred – would be likely to get her killed along the way.

"Because it seemed like the right thing to do," he replied. "How long has he been trying to convince you two that I have no place among you? To find evidence that he was guilty of the same crimes for which he vilified me... Let's just say that I could not pass up the opportunity."

"I don't think he did it," she stated as she glanced at the GPS on the dashboard.

"Of course not." He tested his arm, took a sip from his third bottle of the night, and then continued. "He is your boyfriend, after all. It makes sense that you wouldn't believe he had killed someone."

"It's not just that, though."

"Oh? Enlighten me, then."

"It's just..." She thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Don't you think it's a little strange that this is coming up now – years later? His rampage was all over the news back then. The newspapers had a field day with it, come to think of it. If they had found bodies along the way, it would have definitely made the headlines."

"The Plumbers are more than capable of orchestrating a cover-up," he pointed out.

"True, but still. If they knew about it then, they would have charged him with it the first time around. I guess it's possible that they didn't find out about it until afterwards, but why wait until now?"

"There's no statute of limitations on murder."

"I know." Her frustration was starting to show and she gripped the steering wheel tighter. His logic was sound, but it still didn't seem right. "It just seems too convenient. Albedo shows up, hides out here in L.A. and then this evidence mysteriously appears. Where did you find it?"

"Why does that matter?" he asked, frowning. "Evidence is evidence."

"Except when it's not," she pressed. "Where, Karian?"

"In Albedo's ship when I went to investigate it." He said slowly before shaking his head and admitting what he had tried to deny. "That clever little bastard. He set it all up."

The conversation lapsed into silence as Gwen kept her attention focused on the dot blinking on the GPS and Karian stared out the window. He could feel the mixed emotions surrounding her and a small measure of guilt began to grow within him. Her anger at his actions was obvious, but she was struggling to understand his motivations. Worry and fear were in the background and he attributed them to the current situations regarding Kevin and Ben.

"Thank you," he said finally, unable to face her. "For doing everything you could to get me back on my feet. I am in your debt."

"We don't leave teammates behind," she replied, her tone neutral.

"I left the team temporarily," he reminded.

"We don't leave friends behind, either."

"Are we friends?" he asked honestly, turning his head to regard her. "After I caused all of this?"

"Albedo caused it," Gwen said firmly, although she was still trying to convince herself that it was the truth. "He tricked you into helping him and you thought you were doing the right thing. I'm angry that you fell for it, but it's done. We need to put that aside and focus on getting Ben back and getting Kevin out of jail." Easing back on the accelerator, she took a deep breath. "We're almost there."

* * *

Albedo paced restlessly, staring at the screen on the notepad as he flipped through the files. He had gone through nearly half of them and was still unable to locate the information he needed. _It has to be in here,_ he told himself. He was only half-sure that he knew what he was looking for, but his memory had refused to cooperate any further. He did, however, know that it had something to do with the Omnitrix. The problem was remembering what the file had been named.

Hearing Ben groan as the most recent dose of the drug began to wear off, he glanced over his shoulder. His gaze shifted between his incapacitated prisoner and the weapon on the small table as another idea came to him. _If I cannot find what I require in my notes, there is always a more drastic option._


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Warning - more violence.**_

**Chapter Ten**

"I think we're here," Gwen said as she turned off the engine.

They were in what appeared to be an industrial section of the city. Warehouses lined the street, some seemingly abandoned, and streetlamps barely illuminated the buildings. The windows were all dark, but considering the late hour, it was to be expected. Gwen was out of the car first, but Karian was quick to follow. His left arm was still in a makeshift sling and the wound on his chest was blistered, but the rest of his injuries had continued to heal steadily.

"This doesn't look ominous at all," he remarked dryly.

Gwen ignored the remark and scanned the area surrounding the buildings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and she was still unable to sense the presence of any living things in the immediate vicinity. It struck her as odd when she paused to consider it. Not even a rat made itself known when she reached out with her powers.

"This is wrong," she said quietly. "It's like he's found a way to shut me out. I can't sense anything here."

"I'm not surprised." He stopped beside her and slowly looked around. "The device that he reclaimed contained information on all three of you. I removed some of it, though. Unless he remembers on his own, he doesn't know the extent of your abilities."

"So we still have a few tricks up our sleeves."

"Indeed," he stated. "One of which is the fact that he had nothing on me. For example, he has no idea that even as he is shielded from your powers and has somehow masked the presence of the Omnitrix, he hasn't thought of the more mundane ways of finding someone. I can hear him." He motioned to the building directly ahead of them. "If my ears can be trusted, they're in the lower levels of that building."

"We should be prepared for anything," she said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has traps set up."

"We can always hope that he's arrogant enough to forgo such measures."

Gwen couldn't help but laugh quietly at that. Her expression grew serious again as she walked towards the building, alert for the smallest sign of a trap. Karian walked a few paces behind her, as silent as her shadow, his good hand holding his pistol at his side. A stray cat stopped ahead of them and hissed, arching its back, before disappearing into the nearby alley. No other obstacles presented themselves as they reached the structure.

Karian examined the lock, holstering his gun long enough to make use of his lockpicks before arming himself again. The door swung open on well-oiled hinges, barely making a whisper as it granted entry into the darkened interior. The ball of mana that Gwen conjured to light their way momentarily stung his eyes, but they adjusted quickly and he followed her further inside, nudging the door closed behind them.

"A little warning would have been nice," he remarked in hushed tones.

"Karma," she said under her breath.

"I heard that."

"Good."

He shook his head slightly as they stopped a few yards into the room. Pallets of boxes lined the walls and had been arranged in rows, creating different segments out of the available space with walkways between them. As Gwen examined the closest one, she realized what had been blocking her powers. A glance around to the different work stations scattered at various intervals confirmed her theory.

"Computers," she whispered. "All of the ones on the desks over there have been turned on. Too many machines."

He offered a brief nod of acknowledgement and continued forward, the hum of the computers impairing his ability to pick up the sounds of inhabitation that he had heard from outside. Another sound, barely audible, reaches his senses, though. Closing his eyes, he tried to pinpoint its source, but they snapped open almost immediately when he figured it out.

"Be ready," he warned. "Mechanical sentries are trying to surround us."

When she turned to respond, he was gone. Half expecting to hear gunshots any second, she called up several steps of pink energy and used them to gain higher ground. Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, she glanced to the right and saw Karian had a similar idea. He was crouched on one of the pallets, his eyes glowing as he watched below. Within seconds, Gwen heard the sound of turning gears, her attention shifting from her ally to their enemies.

Four robots turned the corner, heading towards where she had been standing moments before. Each had three wheels to support their bodies, which were little more than moving weapons. A small sensor on the front scanned the area while the barrel of the gun followed its movements. They stopped directly beneath her, the scanners moving from left to right. She held her breath, knowing that the sound of a fight would probably alert Albedo to her presence.

The battle couldn't be avoided though. As soon as she thought that they might move on, the sensors started moving upward, checking the boxes as they made their ascent. Rather than let them catch her, she sent several bursts of mana down to them. Each ball hit its mark and, as the robots exploded, gunfire erupted from where she had last seen Karian. The shots were followed by explosions that mirrored the ones she had caused.

Another set of the machines came from the other end of the aisle, drawn by the commotion. They had an advantage over their predecessors and didn't have to stop to search for a target. Lasers shot towards her and Gwen managed to get a shield up just in time to deflect them. She moved it long enough to blast two of them with her mana, but was forced to replace it quickly. Hearing a sound from behind her, she glanced back to see three more closing in from another direction.

The steady stream of gunshots told her that she was on her own for now and she dispatched the two remaining bots that had come from behind. She turned to face the approaching trio, blocking their attacks with her mana shield. One shot grazed her right arm, the heat from the laser cauterizing the wound as soon as it was inflicted. Wincing, she gritted her teeth and sent two quick bursts at them. As they exploded, a bullet from the side struck the third one, shattering it as well.

"That was the last of them," Karian said, jumping down from one of the pallets. Smoke drifted up from the ruined machines, but they had avoided setting anything else on fire for the time being. "This may be a problem."

"On it," she told him. A pink, translucent globe manifested around the sparking remains, cutting off the oxygen that would be necessary for a fire. She kept it in place for a few minutes, making sure that the sparks had died down, and then partially released it to control the amount of smoke that escaped. "That should do it."

"Are you hurt?" he asked when she stepped down to join him.

"Just a scratch," she said, checking her arm. "It isn't something that would slow me down, at least."

"We'd better get moving, then. If he wasn't aware of our presence before, he certainly is now."

He took the lead this time, straining once more to tune out the low sound of running electronics. His eyes darted around, searching for a staircase, an elevator, or a door; anything that might lead them to the subterranean levels of the warehouse. When none presented itself, he tried another tactic. Dropping to a crouch, he examined the floor, resorting to his tracking skills to solve the puzzle.

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, trying to hide her impatience.

"He may have been able to teleport from Santa Monica to here, but I doubt that it would transport him through concrete," he explained, not looking up. "If my instincts are correct, then he would have been forced to use it to appear outside and walk through the building. And if that's the case, then he would leave a trail right about…" He paused and pointed at the floor. "There."

"I don't see anything."

"Because you don't see things the way I do."

He glanced up at her with a slight grin and then returned his attention to the barely perceptible sneaker tracks in the fine layer of dust. Rising, he walked forward, following the trail to a door at the back corner of the building. He stopped, taking a minute to reload his weapon. The task was complicated with the condition of his left arm, but he managed to awkwardly negotiate the pistol and clips and set everything in place without shooting himself.

"Gwen," he began, turning to face her. "We have to be prepared for what we might find down there." When she nodded solemnly, he continued. "He's had Ben for a few hours already, which is plenty of time to do whatever he wanted to him. He had to have incapacitated him somehow, but there is the possibility that we could be too late to save him."

"I know," she admitted softly. Her voice grew firm though as she squared her shoulders, determination etched into her features. "But we won't know until we get down there. The best we can do is to get him out of there, no matter what condition he's in."

"Then let's go."

Checking the lock for traps and finding none, he turned the handle and pulled open the door. Light spilled from the room below, causing him to squint as he muttered a curse. When his vision cleared, he cautiously stepped down onto the stairs, his movements silent as he made his descent. Gwen followed a step behind and tried to keep her footsteps nearly as quiet. The both stopped about halfway down and he looked back at her.

"I'll handle Albedo," she whispered before he had a chance to speak. "You can get to Ben faster than I can."

He gave a nod and turned to proceed down. As he put his weight on the next step, it snapped beneath him. The rest of the stairs began to crumble, further ruining any attempt to utilize the element of surprise. Karian landed in a crouch, growling at the strain on his mostly-healed ankle. Gwen had reacted quickly and was able to use her mana to keep her from falling. She was beside him quickly and they both watched Albedo turn to regard them.

"You seem surprised to see me," Karian remarked as he stood.

"I did not expect you to survive our last encounter," Albedo said evenly. He held the electronic tablet in one hand and his laser pistol in the other. "After a fall like that, you should not be alive."

"Technically, I've been dead for a few years." He flashed a grin as his fangs lengthened and his eyes took on a bright, green glow. "We're only going to ask once. Give us Ben and you just might walk away in one piece."

"You can have him once I have the Omnitrix," Albedo told him.

Karian took a single step forward, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Gwen stayed next to him, glowing orbs of mana forming in her hands. She hadn't missed the brief look of panic on Albedo's face when Karian's appearance had changed. To his credit, he had been able to hide his fear quickly, but she knew that if she had seen it, then Karian had not only seen it, but he could still feel it. Glancing past him, she caught a glimpse of her cousin curled up in the corner of the room. Her gaze moved back to Albedo and her eyes narrowed.

"Last warning," she said.

His response came in the form of laser fire. She brought her hand across to bring up a shield, blocking the beam as Karian darted forward. The vampire was barely more than a blur as he raced past, slowing to a stop when he reached Ben. The distinct sound of the teenager's heartbeat caused a wave of relief to wash over him and he set his gun down within easy reach. Ben was lying on his side, giving a clear view of the bindings on his wrist and the gauntlet that covered the Omnitrix. The strong scent of the drug used to subdue him was present and Karian could see the tiny puncture at the base of his friend's neck where it had been injected.

He pulled one of his knives from his belt and had managed to slice through the rope, but the familiar sound of robots grabbed his attention. They were the same dull, gray color of the floor, almost blending in until they came to life. He silently chided himself for the oversight and glanced between Ben and Gwen, realizing that one would need help more than the other.

"Gwen!" He shouted the warning as he jumped to his feet, dropping the knife and picking up his gun in the process.

She tore her gaze away from Albedo only long enough to get a quick count of the bots that were trying to surround her. Narrowing her eyes, she sent a burst of mana around her shield at Albedo. Her aim was true and the energy knocked the weapon from his hand. With her primary opponent disarmed, she called a bright dome around herself, blocking the incoming lasers from the robots. There was only a second between the first volley and the second, and she had to time her shots carefully.

She was granted a brief reprieve when three of the machines behind her were shattered by well-aimed bullets. That still left nine of them that were closing in, but some of them had shifted their focus to the newer threat. Casting a glance at Albedo, who was clutching his injured hand as he searched for his weapon, she then focused on the robots and picked her targets. She waited until they had sent another round of laser blasts at her and then momentarily dropped her shield to propel her counter-attacks towards them.

Four more of them exploded as the energy bursts struck them, leaving smoking pieces of metal in their place. Similar explosions came from behind her as Karian worked to destroy three more. Only two of the bots remained and Gwen was able to easily dispatch them. She looked over at her partner, who was glaring past her, his lips pulling back in a snarl.

"Stay where you are." Albedo had retrieved his weapon and stood beside Ben, who was slowly regaining consciousness.

"Give it up," Gwen said, facing him as she called forth another ball of energy. "It's over, Albedo. You've lost."

"Not exactly," he countered. "All I need is the Omnitrix. I've realized that Ben Tennyson does not have to be alive for me to retrieve it. If he dies, it will be released."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" she asked, nodding towards Karian who had already taken a slow step forward. "Think about it. How long do you expect to live if you kill Ben? I won't kill you, but I can't guarantee that I'll be able to stop him."

"If either of you make one more move, he dies," Albedo repeated, steadying his aim.

_He's not bluffing,_ she realized as she placed a hand on Karian's arm. Thankfully, he stopped, but she knew that they didn't have much time to bring the standoff to an end.

* * *

Ben could hear the sounds of battle, but they were muted, as if they were miles away from where he lay. He had the vague sensation that a pressure had been removed from his arms, but they wouldn't respond when he told them to move. The sense that something important was happening around him was urging him to take action if he could only figure out what was going on and what he should be doing.

There was silence again and he thought that he had lost his tenuous grasp on consciousness. He dismissed that thought when he heard a muffled command. His attempts to understand the words all failed, though. It was as if he was underwater and everyone around him was under the open sky, their voices distorted by the liquid surrounding him.

_Snap out of it!_ he told himself. Although he couldn't pinpoint the reason for the sense of urgency, he knew that he had to get moving. His hearing began to clear and he caught the tail end of the conversation. _One more move and who dies? _ He realized the answer as soon as he recognized the speaker. _Uh oh. _The low growl that followed from some distance away shed more light on the situation and he knew that things were about to go very, very wrong.

He managed to open his eyes, waited for his vision to clear, and tried to get a feel for his surroundings. It took him a moment to realize he was facing a wall, but he could just barely see Albedo in his peripheral vision. Hoping that his evil twin's attention was on the person to whom he was speaking, Ben tried to move his fingers. His right hand responded normally, if a bit sluggish, but there was a weight holding his left hand in place. At least his wrists were free, though. It was a small consolation considering the fact that feeling was returning to his arms at a snail's pace.

Ben risked turning his head slightly, trying to get a better view, but had to bite back a groan as he felt blinding pain behind his eyes. Hoping that he had succeeded in staying silent, he closed his eyes again, waiting for the discomfort to subside. _Come on! _He tried to convince his body to obey him, knowing that time was slipping away. _Heroes don't just lie on the floor when lives are at stake!_

"Karian, NO!" Gwen's voice was immediately followed by another.

"Have it your way," Albedo said.

And Ben knew that his time was up.


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: _**_I was hoping to have this out sooner, but it's been a busy week. Sorry to keep you waiting. _

**Chapter Eleven**

Several things happened almost simultaneously. As Albedo squeezed the trigger, Gwen tapped into her mana once more, hoping that she would be fast enough. Karian, who had been a step ahead of her a moment before, had lunged forward, a pale blur as he moved towards Albedo. The two collided as the beam exited the barrel of the gun, the impact forcing the laser to strike the wall above Ben, barely grazing the pink barrier that Gwen had set in place.

Ben forced his eyes open again, realizing that he was still alive, and squinted at the bright dome of mana. He could feel a grin forming on his lips as he came to the conclusion that things just might turn out alright. The expression faded when he heard another growl, this time much closer than before. He willed his stubborn body to respond, trying to shake off the effects of the drug, and managed to roll over onto his back.

The shield disappeared and Gwen rushed to his side, looking him over for any sign that he might have been struck. While he was relieved to see her, he tried to look past her to determine what exactly was going on. Determining that he didn't seem to be seriously hurt, she helped him sit up and leaned him back against the stone wall.

When he turned his head to the right, his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but his voice came out as little more than a wheeze. Gwen followed his gaze and understood his reaction. Karian held Albedo by the throat, keeping him pinned against the wall. His glowing eyes promised death and Gwen watched Albedo try to take in oxygen as Karian slowly tightened his grip.

"Don't…" Ben rasped, his voice barely audible.

Karian heard him, but declined to respond. Rage welled up inside of him fueled by Albedo's role at the night's events as well as his own part in them. As he held the albino against the wall, he thought of how easy it would be to finish him. It would only take a small amount of effort, a little more pressure, just a little bit more tightening of his fingers against the flesh. Yes, it would probably be the easiest thing he had to do all night.

"Please."

The tone in which the word was spoken, despite the hoarse quality of Ben's voice, cut through the reddening haze in Karian's mind. He looked closely at Albedo, watching his lips starting to turn blue as he struggled for breath, and then released his grip, dropping him to the floor. The once-time-Galvan gasped, trying to take in air as Karian turned to Ben.

"You're right," he said, the glow fading from his eyes as his fangs retracted.

He was beside the cousins in an instant and crouched down next to where Gwen was kneeling. As he met Ben's gaze, he hesitated, realizing that he was at a loss for what to say. Words couldn't express what he was feeling – relief that Ben had been found alive, regret and guilt for what he had done to land them in this situation, and uncertainty about how Ben even felt about him at the moment. Instead, he stood again and moved back over to Albedo. The albino didn't struggle as he was turned and Karian was able to secure his wrists quickly.

Ben was conflicted as well. As coherency returned to his thoughts, he tried to make sense of the recent events. It seemed hard to believe that both Karian and Gwen were even there; that they were working together. He couldn't deny that he might not have been captured by his nemesis had he stayed away from Los Angeles, and the only reason he was in L.A. was because Karian had taken Kevin into custody. _But he's here now,_ he told himself. _And he didn't kill Albedo._ It wasn't a stretch for him to believe that the only thing that had stopped the vampire from finishing what he had started was his weak plea.

"Let's get you out of here." Gwen's voice interrupted his thoughts and he tried to nod.

"Gwen," Karian began, drawing her attention. "I found this in his pockets. It may be the key to that monstrosity on Ben's arm."

She caught the small piece of metal when he tossed it to her and turned back to her cousin. She leaned closer, trying to figure out where the item would fit, and spotted a small indentation in the metal. Sliding the key into place, she heard a click and the gauntlet dropped to the floor in two pieces. The face of the Omnitrix flashed once and turned red, a mechanical voice stating "**Reconfiguration in progress."**

"I've sent a transmission to the Plumbers with our location," Karian said. "It might be best if you and Ben are gone before they arrive. I doubt he is in any condition to face their questions."

"They're going to want to know what happened," she replied.

"And I will explain everything," he assured her. "Actions have consequences and I am no exception. Besides, Kevin will probably want his car by the end of the night. I have a feeling that the District Attorney will discover a lack of credible evidence."

Ben listened to the exchange, wanting to participate, but unable to collect his thoughts into anything resembling coherency. With the Omnitrix coming back online, the drug that Albedo had used to sedate him was steadily being processed and filtered out of his system. That didn't alleviate the headache that was left behind. Gwen helped him to his feet and, despite the part of him that wanted to stay and get answers, he allowed her to help him to the ruined staircase.

As Albedo watched the cousins depart on a platform of mana, he started calculating his chances of survival. Without the pair in the equation, the results did not seem positive. To his surprise, Karian sat down beside him and leaned back against the wall. He said nothing, simply sat there turning the Plumbers badge over in his hand.

"What happens now?" Albedo dared to ask. When he received no response, his anxiety began to grow. He looked down, unsure of which would be worse: the punishment he was sure to receive from the Plumbers or whatever punishment the creature beside him was pondering.

"Things are different here than they are in my homeland," Karian said after several minutes had passed. "I saved your life a few days ago. Where I was raised, that meant that you owed me yours. Instead, you tried to take mine as well as the lives of my friends. If we were in Zalyndrya, I would be well within my rights to take your life in return." He paused, letting the words sink in before he spoke again. "That isn't going to happen. It nearly did, but your life was saved again – this time by one whom you have named as an enemy."

"It's his fault that -"

"I wasn't finished," the vampire interrupted. "This is how things are going to work now. We may be on Earth, but your fate is no longer in your own hands. The Plumbers will likely send you to some prison or the Null Void or wherever they send individuals who break intergalactic laws. As far as things go here, I will point out again that Ben saved your life tonight. You owe him yours and I expect you to honor that. You will never attempt to harm him again. Is that understood?"

"He is important to you," Albedo observed. "Am I to believe that he is the only reason you chose to spare my life?"

"He's most of the reason," Karian admitted. "I suppose the reason I have refrained from doing so after they left is because I understand you."

"Doubtful. How could something with such a primitive intellect possibly understand me?"

"Perhaps because I understand what it's like to be trapped in a form not of your choosing. I was human once, several years ago." He finally turned his head to regard Albedo. "Sometimes, things happen and we have no control over the outcome. We simply have to make do with what the gods have given us. I hope that one day, you will come to understand that."

"I see no reason why you should care." He kept his tone carefully neutral, but his curiosity had to be satisfied.

"By all rights, I shouldn't," he said with a shrug as he slid the badge back into his pocket. "But I see many of my own issues manifested in you. Take it for what it is. It may not be concern, but simply something to think about that doesn't involve revenge. Trust me, that never works out as planned. I should know."

"Say what you will," Albedo began, his voice harsh. "You will never know what this is like; what it's like to be trapped in this disgusting human body."

"I never thought that particular model was all that disgusting," he countered with a chuckle before growing serious again. "But you will never know what it's like to be forced to survive by taking the lives of others. I believe that makes us even."

* * *

Ben stared out the window as they headed deeper into the city. He was wide awake now and, although there was still lingering pain, his headache was starting to subside. Clarity had returned and he tried to sort through the turmoil that was churning inside. Gwen had remained quiet so far throughout the ride, her attention seemingly on the road, but he saw her glance his way every so often. He was glad to have her there, nonetheless. She managed to lend her strength without having to say a word.

"How's your arm?" he asked, noting the mark where she had been struck earlier.

"Hurts a little, but I'll be fine," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been run over by the Rustbucket," he replied with almost a grin. "Sad thing is, I've felt worse. Nothing a smoothie won't fix." He finally smiled when he heard her laugh softly. "So, how did you find us? I remember Albedo saying that he'd thought of everything to make sure that didn't happen."

"Well, he did manage to block my powers and he kept the Omnitrix from transmitting a signal," she told him. "He didn't think of Earth technology though. Karian planted a GPS transmitter earlier tonight when he ran into Albedo."

Ben nodded and turned to watch the scenery again. He remembered bits and pieces of what happened when the two had come to his rescue. Details that he thought he had missed were coming to the forefront. He could picture the familiar teamwork that they had shown. It had almost seemed like they had never drifted apart. He also recalled the charred wound on Karian's chest and he could have sworn that his arm had been in a sling.

"Did something happen tonight?" he asked, turning to her again. "Before you guys got there, did you two have trouble with Albedo?"

"It's a really long story," Gwen said with a sigh. "I really think we should just go get Kevin and we can all talk about it then."

He opened his mouth to argue, to press the issue further, but thought better of it. It had been a rough night for both of them and he didn't want to make it worse. His gaze dropped to the Omnitrix and considered how little good it had done for him. For all of its power, it was useless when he had needed it. It couldn't help him predict an ambush, nor could it break itself out of the gauntlet that had neutralized it.

"He's already out?" Gwen asked, more to herself than to him as they pulled up in front of the building.

Kevin was sitting on the front steps, his expression showing his impatience and irritation. It grew darker when he watched his car pull up to the curb and he was on his feet before it had stopped. He seemed about to yell at them when the window lowered and he was able to get a good look at the pair. Seeing a battle-weary Gwen and the disheveled appearance of her cousin stole much of his anger and he kept his mouth shut while Ben climbed into the back and she slid over to the passenger seat.

"Should I even ask?" he said as soon as he was behind the wheel.

"Once we get to some place that has food," Gwen told him.

"It's one in the morning," he argued.

"We're in L.A." she stated. "I'm sure you'll find something."

Half an hour later, they were seated at a booth in an all-night diner at the edge of the city. Ben had to settle for a milkshake instead of a smoothie and had nearly finished it by the time Gwen had filled them in on what had happened. He leaned back, trying to find sense in all of it, but unable to do so.

"So, Albedo was here the whole time," Kevin said before tossing another french fry into his mouth.

"Told you so," Ben remarked.

"Whatever." Kevin squeezed some more ketchup onto his plate as he looked at Gwen again. "So let me get this straight. You and Dracula Junior kicked his ass and saved Ben, right?" He watched her nod. "But Albedo was shacked-up with Dracula for most of the week." He waited for her to nod again. "So, you got Ben out of there and left the other two together… alone."

"That sounds really bad," she admitted, pulling out her badge. A display of a map of the city appeared above it and she moved the target area to where she had found Ben. "Looks like the Plumbers are there." She motioned to the dots that had converged upon the site. "I guess he actually did tell the truth."

"There's a shock," Kevin muttered.

"Maybe not," she countered. "Yes, what he did was wrong, but he tried to make it right."

"He pulled a gun on me and got me locked up."

"He also got you back out."

"Bullshit."

"Check the call log," she said, handing him her phone. "He asked to borrow my phone before we went after Albedo. I checked the number. It's his sister, which means that before we even left the Pier, he knew something wasn't right about the arrest. I didn't realize it until later because he seemed to just come to that conclusion when we were driving to the warehouse, but he knew. How long were you waiting for us?"

"About an hour and a half," he said, handing the phone back. "Doesn't mean anything. He's still an asshole."

"Wait," Ben interrupted. "Why did he use your phone?"

"Because his was broken after he was knocked off of a twelve-story building," she replied evenly.

"He probably deserved it," Kevin said under his breath.

"Give it a rest," Ben told him. "It's late, we're tired, and we all know you hate him. I'm sure you'll get the chance to tell him yourself at some point, so can we just let it go for now?" Pushing his empty glass away, he lifted his hands to rub his temples. "I know it sounds ridiculous since I've been knocked out for most of the night, but we really should get some sleep. We'll sort it out tomorrow. For now, Kevin's free, Albedo is in Plumber custody, and I think the Omnitrix has filtered most of whatever that drug was out of my system."

"How's the headache?" Gwen asked.

"Not as bad, but still there."

"You can catch some sleep in the back of the car on the way home," Kevin said. "If we leave now, we can be in Bellwood before morning."

"I'm not heading home yet," Ben said, lowering his hands to the table. "I need answers first."

"That's why they invented phones."

"No, Kevin." His expression grew serious. "I have to do this. Besides, his phone is busted right now. We're going back to the hotel and I'm going to deal with this tomorrow night. You can go home if you want to."

"Like I'm just gonna leave you here…" Kevin snorted and shook his head. "Fine, but when you're done tomorrow night, we're out of here. Every time I come to L.A., it sucks."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"I know you're in there," Ben called through the door as he knocked again. "Your badge is here and I know you don't go anywhere without it. So, why don't you just open the door so we can talk?" He waited, listening for any sounds that might be coming from inside the apartment. He wasn't surprised by the silence, but he had at least hoped that he would have received some kind of answer. "Come on, Karian! Open up!"

When knocking again provided the same result as his previous attempts, he sighed in frustration. Having decided that he'd had enough, he turned the dial on the Omnitrix until he found the right alien for the job. He brought his palm down over the image and took the form of the blue, winged creature. Barely a second passed before he became intangible and passed through the door. Once inside, he tapped the emblem on his chest and Big Chill shifted back to Ben.

It was deathly still in the apartment and he felt anxiety begin to settle in. A brown box was open in front of the bookcase and, as he looked closer, he saw that it was half-full. It was impossible to tell if they were being packed or unpacked, but, for some reason that he just couldn't put his finger on, it only served to heighten his unease. The soft sound of his sneakers on the carpet seemed far too loud compared to the silence and he found himself slowing his pace as he made his way through the living room and into the short hallway.

He absently reached for the Omnitrix again as his pulse quickened. Both bedroom doors were open and he noted that the one to his right appeared to be unoccupied. There was little more than a bed and a nightstand that held a single lamp. No personal or decorative items were in his immediate line of sight, so he dismissed the room and edged towards the one across the hall. Taking a deep breath, he paused to push the slightly ajar door open the rest of the way.

The light on the ceiling fan was on, giving him a clear view of the interior. The bed was neatly made and several more boxes sat open upon it. Two of the dresser drawers were open, but the resident was still nowhere to be seen. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as he walked into the room, instinct alone warning him that he needed to remain alert. His hand hovered over the hologram displayed on the Omnitrix as he paused, frowning.

"What are you doing here?"

The sudden question, spoken in barely more than a whisper, startled him and he spun around as the door swung closed on silent hinges. Karian stood between him and his primary path of escape and he took a step back while he tried to get a solid grasp of the situation.

The vampire regarded him with an unreadable expression, his features perfectly neutral as he leaned back against the door and folded his arms over his chest. The sling was gone and whatever remained of the injury to his chest was hidden beneath his shirt. He seemed to give the impression that he knew he had eternity and was fully prepared to wait that long for an acceptable answer. His voice hadn't sounded angry or upset at all. In fact, it had been devoid of any recognizable emotion at all. He remained still, not even blinking, as he watched his unexpected guest.

"I just wanted to talk," Ben said cautiously, trying to force his heart to beat quieter as he let his arms fall to his sides. He watched Karian lift an eyebrow at his response and took another deep breath. Unease shifted to impatience when the expression didn't change. "Why are you acting like this? I'm the one that should be giving you the cold-shoulder, not the other way around."

"Is that what you think this is?" he asked, the corner of his lips turning up into a slight smirk as he pushed himself away from the door. "Perhaps I was not in the mood for guests tonight. After all, I chose not to answer the door when you knocked. You decided to enter anyway. So, I will ask you again. What are you doing here, Ben?"

"I already answered you." He took an automatic step back when Karian had moved forward. "I want answers."

"And you believe that I will provide them?" A humorless laugh accompanied the response as he shook his head slightly. "We've taken different paths, Ben. I think it's best if you just leave. Go back to Bellwood. You were in L.A to help Kevin. You got what you came for. There's nothing else here for you."

"So, that's how it's going to be?" Ben asked softly, his annoyance melting.

"How else is it supposed to be?"

Neither of them spoke for several minutes. Ben watched him, the cold indifference causing more pain than the words themselves. In the back of his mind, logic was telling him that it was just a defense mechanism, that the only reason Karian was pushing him away was to protect both of them. It didn't make him feel any better about it and he wasn't about to let things end like this. Squaring his shoulders, he straightened met his gaze evenly.

"How many times have I actually listened when you told me to leave?"

"You never do," Karian said with a shrug.

"Then what the hell makes you think I'm going to start now?"

"Because it's better this way."

"Says who?" It was Ben's turn to cross his arms and he didn't even give him a chance to answer. "Why do you get to decide what's best? Don't I get a say in this? The last time I checked, this involved both of us."

"What do you expect this to solve?" Karian countered, the carefully neutral façade cracking as his eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly think that we can just talk things out and everything will be fine again? I have news for you, Ben – it won't. Our relationship has never been what any reasonable person could consider healthy and talking things out isn't going to change that. You want answers? Fine. Ask your damn questions and then go home."

"Why did you do it?" Ben demanded.

"I had my reasons."

"That's not an answer and you know it."

"What do you want from me, Ben?" His voice had dropped to barely a whisper again as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He didn't lift his gaze as he spoke again. "Do you want me to give you every detail of what I was thinking when everything happened or would you accept the simple explanation that I was trying to do the right thing and ended up making a mess? Is that what you're looking for?"

"It's a start." It took him a moment to catch up with the abrupt change in emotion and he sat down beside him after it sank in. "Why didn't you call me first?"

"Because I thought I had it under control," he said honestly. "You and I had a bit of a communication barrier for a while, so I thought it best to just deal with it on my own. It didn't occur to me until after things had been set in motion that the evidence against Kevin might have been planted."

"Yeah, he's pretty mad about it."

"Kevin always has a reason to be mad at me," Karian replied with a chuckle and almost a smile. "I could pay for the next three upgrades to his car and he'd find a reason to be angry about it. I've come to accept that as a simple fact."

"You still think he did it," Ben said.

"Some of the evidence was authentic. I had it checked before I made the call to get him out of there, but from what I found, he was responsible for at least two casualties."

"Then why did you tell the police that it was all fake?"

"Do you really need to ask?" He finally looked over at him and shook his head. "Sometimes we have to pick our battles, Ben. I had to decide which was more important: keeping Kevin in jail for something he had done years ago or making sure that you had him there to watch your back when you need him. It wasn't a difficult decision to make when I was able to push my quarrels with him aside." Regret warred with resolve as he tried to gauge Ben's reaction to his words. "You and Kevin look after each other like brothers would. Dravias and I were like that. I don't want to watch you lose your brother like I did."

Ben looked away, unable to meet his gaze as his own conflicting thoughts swirled within. It was impossible not to hear the plea for understanding in his friend's voice and he couldn't bear to see the raw emotion that had taken the place of the previously cold expression. He wanted to stay angry at what had happened, but could he really hold on to that when it seemed that Karian's intentions had been good all along? He couldn't find an answer and so he stood up and began to pace.

"Damn it, Karian," he said in frustration. "There's never an easy solution when it comes to you. You get Kevin locked up and I end up getting kidnapped when I get out here to help. Then, I find out that Albedo was here with you all week and you never bothered to tell me. I could be mad if you had done it all just because you wanted to stir the pot, but then you tell me that you were just trying to do the right thing and I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that."

"You don't have to say anything," Karian stated. "Just understand that I always have reasons for the things that I do, even though they don't always make sense to you." He rose as well and stood in front of Ben, stopping him from pacing. "Listen, I'm never going to be the person you want me to be. My decisions are always going to be questionable by your standards. I think the sooner you realize that, the better off we'll both be. That's why I'm telling you to walk away this time."

"So you can just disappear again for months at a time?" he countered, anger slowly returning. "So I can sit at home in Bellwood and wonder if I'm ever going to hear from you again? Or so that you can just show up out of nowhere and expect us to pick up where we left off?"

"I need to find where I belong and it obviously isn't here."

"Then come back to Bellwood with me and actually stay this time."

Karian started to argue, but the look in Ben's eyes told him that he would only accept one answer. The words hadn't been a question and his tone of voice made it perfectly clear that he wasn't about to let this go. It didn't seem right, though. Their past issues were only going to repeat themselves and nothing was going to change that. As much as he tried to tell himself that, though, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

"You're too stubborn for your own good," he said with almost a grin.

"But it's one of my most endearing qualities," Ben laughed.

"I never could decide if it was endearing or infuriating."

They shared a laugh over that, some of the tension starting to recede as their familiar camaraderie settled over them again. Things were still far from back to normal, but it was a start and that's all either of them really seemed to want at the moment. As their humor dissipated, Ben looked around again and then back to Karian.

"Where were you planning to go?" he asked.

"I hadn't gotten that far, yet," Karian said. "I figured wherever the road takes me would be fine."

"What about your sister?"

"She has her own life to live," he replied with a shrug. "It's hard to rebuild a solid relationship when you've spent sixteen years thinking your sibling was dead. A few short years to reconnect barely made us more than friends. Besides, her husband and I never really got along very well. That's not about to change after this mess with Kevin. Officially false allegations against a suspect didn't really make me popular with the local police and the District Attorney's office. It's best if I make myself scarce for a while."

* * *

The ride back to Bellwood was uneventful. Kevin brooded in silence as he drove, occasionally glancing in the rear view mirror to see Ben staring out through the back window. He felt Gwen's hand on his arm and looked over at her briefly, long enough to read the look in her eyes. Returning his attention to the road, he sighed and tried to relax. By the time they reached the outskirts of town, the cousins were nearly asleep.

After dropping them off at their houses, he headed back out towards the desert. After a few miles, he turned off from the main road. No streetlights shed light out there. Only a small amount of stars that had managed to elude the clouds and the headlights on his car pierced the darkness. His pace slowed as he neared his destination, the same somber mood settling over him as it did every time he made this trip.

After bringing the car to a stop, he stepped out onto the sand, keeping the headlights on so that he could see where he was going. He had the path committed to memory, though. He felt that he owed them that much, at least. His shoulders were set in grim determination as he approached the small marker. It was invisible from the main road; only one who knew exactly where it was would be likely to find it.

The sands had shifted since his last visit and the marker was nearly buried beneath them. Because of that, it took a little longer to dislodge the metal box that he had placed there shortly after his release from the Null Void. Sand seemed to creep into his boots as he sat down and opened the container, but he ignored it. The significance of the items before him far outweighed the minor inconvenience. He carefully removed the newspaper clippings and read each article in full before moving on to the next.

_Monster Attacks Bridge – 1 Drowned. _

_Two Unexpectedly Frozen – Doctors Unable to Revive_

_Building Collapses – 5 Killed; 3 Children_

Every newspaper had printed a correction the following day recanting the stories of death and destruction. He knew better, though. It would have been easy to blame it all on insanity caused by absorbing the power of the Omnitrix. He could have blamed it on a troubled childhood, on decisions made by a desperate and lonely eleven-year-old living on the streets. He might have been able to let it go if he could only blame it on extenuating circumstances.

It would have been a lie, though. Even if he acknowledged the mitigating factors of being a homeless, impetuous youth, he had still made the decisions that had led to too many deaths. He chose to absorb too much power. He could have fought the insanity, but he chose to let it warp his actions. As much as he tried, he could never forgive himself for what he had done. Each face was a vivid reminder in his mind and, whenever he started to forget, the newspaper clippings brought them back.

He could never make amends with those who had been killed by his actions, but he could at least try to balance the scales. The time he had spent helping the Tennyson cousins and the Plumbers was only a small token against the weight of his crimes. Despite his denial at the time of his recent arrest, they would have been right to prosecute him and he knew it. However, if he was in jail, how would he ever prove that he had changed?

Gwen and Ben believed in him. They knew he was innocent and he hated to keep up the lie, but he wouldn't be able to bear telling them the truth. They were the closest thing to a family that he had aside from his mother. No one else had looked out for him like they had and he wasn't about to jeopardize that. The past had to stay in the past for them, but he would always remember. It was his burden to bear and he would have to keep fighting to stay on the right side of good and evil.

It had to be that way.

* * *

It wasn't until the following night that Karian returned to his house outside of Bellwood. He had packed a few items in the bags on his motorcycle and in his backpack; the rest would be delivered by a moving truck within the next day or two. As he made his way up the service road, he could see that the lights were on inside the building. No other vehicles were parked outside when he reached the end of the driveway, but he remained cautious as he climbed the stairs.

Once inside, he stalked through the front hall, his steps silent as he neared the living room. At first glance, the room was empty, but as he turned to glance at the dining room, he discovered his unexpected guest. Relaxing only slightly, he took a step towards the table where she was seated.

"Well met," Lalasa greeted. "I trust the journey back from Los Angeles was uneventful?"

"It was," he replied. He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice as he sat across from her. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

"I have found a job offer for you." She held up an envelope for a brief moment before placing it on the table and sliding it towards him. "It may be exactly what you need right now."

"And how would you know what I need?" he asked bitterly, his eyes narrowing as he lifted the item and tore it open. Withdrawing the paper inside, he glanced down at it, forcing his expression to remain neutral. "If this is a joke, I fail to see the humor."

"It's no joke, Karian," she assured him. "I know the last thing you want is to return to that place, but it would only be for a few days to set up your contract and then you could return here until you receive your first assignment. You would also have the option of declining an assignment if you are not comfortable with it."

"This letter is dated four days ago," he observed before lifting his gaze to her. "You knew this was going to happen."

"I had an idea of what might happen."

"And you did nothing to prevent it?" Anger flashed in his eyes as he crumpled the paper in his fist. "Why?"

"The future is not set in stone," she explained calmly. "I caught a glimpse of the most probable outcome, but not the circumstances that led to it. Even if I had seen the specifics of your situation, it isn't my place to interfere. Your decisions are your own to make. Do you honestly think that I have the right to step in and tell you otherwise?"

"I suppose not." Her response had diffused his initial reaction, but he was obviously not happy. "A little bit of warning would have been nice, though. It seems that my decision-making capabilities leave much to be desired."

"Perhaps you are making them for the wrong reasons."

"I'm just trying to do the right thing."

"For whom?" When he didn't answer, she reached over to place a hand on his. "You are trying to do what is best for others, but sometimes, you need to do what is best for you. Keep looking out for others, but do not compromise who you are in the process. You're still trying to fit into the molds others create for you instead of finding your place in this world."

He looked at the crumpled paper in his hand and carefully smoothed it out. As he read through it again, resignation began to take hold. _What choice do I have?_ he thought. Dropping the paper onto the table, he stood and began to pace, indecision gnawing at him as he considered her words. _She sees right through me. I can't keep this up._

"Let's get this over with," he said finally.

* * *

Ben had waited until his parents were asleep to slip out. It only took a few minutes for him to reach the house once he had taken the form of Jetray. As he landed, shifting back to his own body with a flash, he frowned. The black and violet motorcycle was parked in the driveway, but the house was dark.

The door was locked, but that was only a minor setback. A moment of changing forms again gave him the only key he needed. Familiar apprehension gripped him as he flipped the switch to illuminate the hall. It was obvious that someone had been there recently – mail had been stacked on the table and no dust was visible – but the place seemed empty.

_Maybe he had to go to the store,_ he hoped as he looked down at the envelopes. _And maybe he decided to walk. _ The prospect didn't seem likely and he had a hard time convincing himself that it was even possible. Nevertheless, he tried to stay positive. _ He should be back soon. I can wait._ His heart sank when he noticed that the one on top had his name on it. Dropping down into the chair, he opened it slowly, bracing for whatever the letter might contain.

"_Ben… Had to go to Boston for a few days, but do not worry. I will return soon. I have been offered a new job as, obviously, my previous one is no longer an option. I had to leave immediately to work out the details, but I can at least try to explain my reasons._

"_We both know that things are complicated between us. We've already had this conversation, but there is more to it than you realize. It is not fair for you to have to compromise your morals for my sake and it is not fair for me to pretend to be something I am not. I tried, Ben. Truly, I did. But I can't be the person you want me to be. I can't change what I am as much as I once wished I could. Too much has happened for me to pretend that we will ever have what we once had._

"_I tried to do the right thing. That's all I ever wanted to do, but it always ends badly. Apparently, I'm not very good at doing the right thing. I've been told that it is one's intentions that matter. I disagree. What does it matter if my intentions were good if everything went to hell in the end? It doesn't. _

"_We can talk again when I return, but know that I can't pretend anymore. I want what is best for you and Gwen and even Kevin, but I can't sacrifice my identity to make that happen. This is who, and what, I am. I will always be there to help when needed and I am still a part of the Plumbers. Whatever happens between us is up to you now, though. Accept me as I am or let me go._"

He sat back, the note falling from numb fingers as he tried to process what he had just read. There was a sense of finality to the words and, paired with the ultimatum, it caused a sense of loss to course through him. Shaking his head, he clenched a fist, fierce denial starting to overpower his initial reaction. He stood and headed back outside, turning the dial on the Omnitrix. He couldn't just skip town and go to Boston, but something about the mention of the location stirred something in his memory. In the morning, he could find out exactly what was important about it.

For now, though, he could wait. They were safe and Albedo was back in prison. Those were the important things. Whatever issues he had with his ex could wait until Karian returned to Bellwood. Ben wasn't about to give up, but there was a ring of truth in the note. They would both have to make concessions. Only time would tell if they could make that happen.

* * *

**A/N:** I know it's been months and I'm not sure if anyone is even following this series anymore, but I had to get it finished at some point. This isn't going to be the last fic, but I'm not sure when the next one is going to be ready to post. I really don't want to have it go months between updates like this one did. Life has been pretty crazy lately, but I'm trying to find time where I can to write. Also, I apologize if the quality of the storytelling started to go downhill. It was difficult to pick it up again when so much time had lapsed. Thank you for being patient with me and for sticking with the story despite the delays.


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